Kingdom of the Assassin and Prince
by GreenTeaCake
Summary: Juvia, a slave under the Kingdom of Bosco where magic ceases to exist, is forced to attack the Kingdom of Fiore who is led by Prince Gray. Will Juvia unlock the mysteries that surround the Kingdom of Bosco and help the Kingdom of Fiore rise back to victory? AU, Gruvia!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: H-hi everyone! I started writing again... and for those of you who liked my previous story (which was ****_incomplete- _****please don't kill me!) I hope you all enjoy this one... I predict this one will be a slower paced story, so for those who aren't patient, I would advise to steer clear of this! Anyway, any feedback is appreciated. Also, I would also love to know if any of you all wanted me to continue my previous story- I felt bad for leaving it hanging! Hope you all enjoy!**

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Onyx smoke rose into the sky in tormented puffs as Juvia walked away from the coal mining field once the work day ended. Her body ached no more than usual today, except for the lashing she had received earlier that day on her back. She gingerly touched the wound, hoping the bleeding had stopped. She looked around her at the fellow slave laborers. They were from all over the kingdoms-Veronica, Caelum, Seven, and even a few from Fiore, all currently enslaved under the Kingdom of Bosco. Juvia couldn't help but sigh loudly. They were all so very broken. Their eyes were full of void and their starved bodies trembled as they walked back to their camp. Despite the hollow faces of those around her, Juvia's eyes remained fierce and alive.

_Juvia will never give up like them,_ she thought as her shackles clanked to the rhythm of her pace.

It had already been a year that Juvia had been captured from a village raid in the kingdom of Seven at the age of 18. She watched her family die as soldiers drew their blades mercilessly to anyone that resisted. Juvia too, would have died if she hadn't been for her ability to fight so well. Juvia had been taught under the Guild of Assassins when she was younger and was lethal to anyone that threatened her peaceful life. She had killed 17 soldiers that day before the Captain and 3 other guards knocked her unconscious. The Captain knew that she might prove to be useful in the future for the King of Bosco.

But for now, Juvia, like most other slaves, worked in the coal mines. A mixture of soot and sweat covered her body, and her waxy blue hair no longer looked blue due to the filth. The slaves began to sing a melancholy song as they walked to their campsites under the watchful eyes of soldiers. It wasn't soon that Juvia began to unconsciously hum to their tune.

Juvia flopped down on her thin mattress. It felt like a slab of wood, but Juvia ceased to notice the aches it brought her anymore. She closed her eyes as let her body relax. The housing conditions were not much better than the conditions in the field. The rooms were tiny and housed two people each, and had no adequate running water or heat.

"Oi, Juvia, help me out, will ya?" A husky voice demanded.

Juvia's eyes shot opened and almost instantly got out of bed. The man was pointing at his arm, which had been poorly bandaged with blood seeping through the folds. He was tall and had jet black bushy hair, and multiple pierces on his face.

"Gajeel-kun! What happened?" Juvia asked with concern as she started tending to his wounds.

"Those assholes tried to give a lashing to some old hag that couldn't work no more," Gajeel spat, with a hint of anger in his eyes. "So I just stuck out my arm so she didn't have to get hit."

Juvia raised her eyebrows. Usually interfering with a lashing constituted in the death of the person who intervened.

"And yet, you are not dead?" Juvia asked cautiously.

"I dunno either, the soldier just mumbled something about having plans for me," Gajeel said nonchalantly.

Now Juvia's expression signaled a mix of confusion and curiosity.

"What does that mean? A plan for you?" Juvia questioned as she tightened up the newly wrapped bandage on Gajeel's arms.

"Dunno, and don't wanna stick around to find out. We have to escape soon, before things get worse," Gajeel urged.

"Juvia knows, but right now it is impossible. There are guards everywhere we look, and without Juvia's daggers, she cannot kill everyone swiftly to make our escape," Juvia said as she looked at her empty palms.

Gajeel nodded. He knew what Juvia was capable of. The Guild of Assassins did not just choose anyone to train- Juvia not only had the strength the Guild was looking for, but she had the intelligence and willpower as well.

"Then it better be soon," Gajeel grunted, lying down in his bed. "I can't stand any more of this piece of shit kingdom."

Juvia silently agreed and placed herself back in bed. She was carefully plotting their escape and analyzing the weak points of the campsite. Soon she and Gajeel would leave this hell hole and escape to Fiore.

Dawn broke and Juvia awoke the noise of soldiers shoving people out of their beds to eat their morning gruel then get to work in the fields.

Juvia woke up Gajeel to begin their day. Even though Juvia was a slave, she wasn't about to let the soldiers indulge in pushing her out of bed. But today was different. Instead of a regular soldier entering their room, one of the Captains walked in. His chest plate was silver outlined by gold, and he had a small insignia on the top left of his chest plate that represented a dragon.

"You," he said in a gruff voice, pointing at Juvia. "We need you to come with us."

Before Juvia could protest, he grabbed her arm and tore her away from Gajeel. Her shackles clanged together and mocked her lack of ability to do anything in this situation.

"Hey, what are ya doing with her?" Gajeel yelled. "She didn't do-"

Before he could say anything else, a soldier knocked Gajeel to the floor.

"Speak when you are spoken to, scum," the soldier said as he spat at Gajeel.

Juvia glared at the soldier and didn't think twice about what had to be done. She knew she couldn't do win this battle, with her legs shacked, but she decided to do it anyways. In a swift movement, Juvia yanked herself away from the Captain's hold and ran to the soldier. She delivered a quick blow to his face with her fist before the Captain grabbed her by the neck, effectively choking her.

The solider spat out blood and his nose was broken. Juvia smiled smugly despite the lack of oxygen she was receiving. Gajeel winked at her before he was taken away by another guard for another day in the coal mine.

"I can see why the King is interested in you," the Captain said fiercely, letting go of her throat. "Now come with me." His hold on Juvia's arms now tightened, as to not let her slip out of his reach a second time.

_The King? _Juvia asked to herself. _What in Mavis' name does the King want from Juvia?_

As the Captain cuffed her hands behind her back and walked her to the carriage, Juvia smirked at the fact that she still spoke of Mavis as it was such a forsaken name. Mavis' legend was not a common story in the Kingdom of Bosco anymore, at least not publicly over the King's rule. As the legend stated, Mavis was one of the Fairies of Earthland that granted magic to the humans. Magic that took many forms and could help do countless things- Juvia had heard of people that could conjure fire, water, wind- and even ice. But that magic died long ago, when the King banned it. He sent people by the dozens to the gallows- children, women, men, families- and even royalties and those of higher class were not spared. It didn't help when the King conquered other Kingdoms such as Veronica, Caelum and Seven and sent all magic wielders to a desolate fate. Even Fiore was about to fall to the Kingdom of Bosco- and then, there would be no place else to conquer. But this was decades ago. Magic ceased to exist, due to the ruthless slaughter of all magic wielders. Most people now didn't even know what magic looks like. Those that had had magic running through their veins were of utmost royalty- the King's bloodline. There had also been whispers of magic that still lived in the bloodline of royalties in Fiore- but it would soon disappear just like the other kingdoms once they fell to the Kingdom of Bosco.

Juvia's thoughts were interrupted when the carriage stopped and the Captain shoved her out into the palace gates. Juvia quickly glanced around her to become more aware of her surroundings. She had never been to the King's palace, but she could tell that this was it. The tall white towers shot through the sky, and every door and window seemed to be embroidered in gold. She shifted her eyes frantically to scan for any places to flee- her eyes were calculating, running through the possible scenarios of escape, although she knew her chances were slim as the shackles clanked into each other.

The Captain, a broad and older man with scruff on his neck noticed Juvia's glances and decided not to take his chances. She was, after all, from the Guild of Assassins. He grabbed a ragged cloth and blindfolded her.

_Che_, Juvia thought. _It's not like I could escape with these shackles around me anyway_.

They quickened the pace and finally entered a room. As the blindfolds were removed, Juvia squinted at the bright room before her. She hadn't seen such a white room in what seemed to be ages. The floors were spotless, and marble pillars supported beautifully. The white room was more pronounced as Juvia stepped inside- her soot covered face and filthy rags were such a stark difference in comparison to the alabaster room. Despite how impressively large the room was, Juvia knew that this room was small and worthless compared to the other ballrooms in the palace.

Juvia noticed a few other slaves accompanied by guards in the room. They too, seemed to have been working in the mines because they looked no different from her- they were dirty and probably smelled foul.

In front of the room stood a red-haired woman. Her stance was proud and she had fire in her eyes. Eyes that seemed like she had placed many people in their own personal hell. She work a metal armor suit that had a similar emblem of the Captain- a golden dragon that marked her chest plate. Juvia grew more cautious- whoever this woman was, she radiated a feeling of threat and fear. The blunette made note that she would be a worthy challenger to her if they ever were to encounter in battle.

"Listen up, everyone." The redhead said, in a calm yet strong voice. "You all have been chosen to help King Jose with his latest mission- to take down the Kingdom of Fiore, who are enemies of our nation.

Juvia scoffed loudly, not caring that her voice carried throughout the entirety of the hall. _Was there anyone that wasn't the King's enemy?_

The redhead flashed a piercing glare toward Juvia.

"You," said the woman as she pulled her sword out and pointed at Juvia. "Do you wish to challenge the King? Or worse, do you wish to challenge me?"

"Oh, I wouldn't _dare _to," Juvia said, in a slightly sarcastic voice as she batted her eyelashes.

The woman continued.

"I, Erza Scarlet, have been told that you all worked at the mines. The guards there have been making notes of the stronger ones in the mines, and we have pulled you aside to join the King's army to take over Fiore."

Voices began to murmur among the slaves, as if they were unsure which would kill them faster- the mines or the army.

"Silence," Erza said sharply. "You will not regret joining the army. You will have a bed- a _real_ bed to sleep on, and meals 3 times a day. We need you to regain your strength if you are to join the army. If you succeed in this mission, you will not have to enter back into the coal mines."

Juvia caught herself with her mouth agape. Were they that foolish to make a promise to remove these shackles from her? If they took these shackles off her the guards would be dead no faster than a blink of an eye. She hadn't even needed to complete the King's mission- she would release herself once she could freely move her body.

But it looked like she wasn't the only one thinking this. Erza's demeanor darkened as she began to speak.

"And if you think to escape once we remove these shackles from you," Erza challenged, while shooting glances at Juvia and a few others, "then think again. We chose you not only because you had talent, but because you also have a liability. We will kill your friends back at camp if you try to escape."

_Gajeel_, Juvia thought to herself. _So that's what they meant when they had plans for him_. _To use him so I wouldn't escape- how cowardly and like King Jose to think of that_.

"Now, do you all accept this invitation? Or would you rather rot back in the mines?" Erza asked, although everyone knew it wasn't exactly a question as much as it was a statement.

All the slaves silently agreed- anything to be rid of the mines.

Juvia slowly nodded as well, until she head slow footsteps behind her. She saw Erza kneel down on one knee to bow, then jerked her head to see who Erza was greeting.

King Jose had just stepped into the room.

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**A/N: Yes, no? I'll be uploading chapter two tomorrow! PS- if I have any grammar mistakes feel free to PM me so I can fix it! I dislike grammar mistakes as much as the next person! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys, looks like the formatting was all wrong, so i've posted the chapter up again. Sorry for the inconvenience! ._.**

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Panic stirred into Juvia's body as she saw King Jose step into the room. He looked just as she imagined him to look- tall and thin, with a weasel face and sharp facial features. He reminded her of a cold-blooded snake about to attack it's prey. But it wasn't his appearance that frightened Juvia. Although she had never even been near magic, she could feel it present in the room. King Jose seemed to be _radiating_ it- she felt uncomfortable and was unaccustomed to this feeling.

"I'm glad filth like yourselves have all agreed to take on such an honorable mission," King Jose said thickly.

No one dared look into his eyes, not even Erza.

"You will be the first of our armies to infiltrate the borders of Fiore from the South border. As you know, their other borders have been quite the challenge to overtake," the King said with venom in his voice.

_So we are the guinea pigs of this mission_, Juvia thought. _It's clear that we will most likely die- and the few that survive will spread information of the border security._ She cringed at the thought of going into a war zone blindly.

"Now you will train for a week before we send you off. Don't forget who you fight for. And if you dare try to escape during this mission, I will personally see that your loved ones die a slow and painful death." King Jose's face broke into a menacing smile, and looked Juvia straight in the eye before he left the room.

Juvia didn't realize she was shaking until her guard pulled her to lead her into her new room. She didn't know if it was from fear or anger, but she figured it was likely a cause of both.

* * *

"Dammit," said Prince Lyon, slamming his fist onto the table.

Princess Ultear rolled her eyes at her brother's frustration. Prince Gray just stood in silence, with his eyes dark.

"Damn the King of Bosco! Our sources say they are positive that the next attack will be in a few weeks on the Southern Border. My people will no longer suffer this!" Lyon shouted.

Gray looked at his brother vent his frustration. Despite his small tantrum, he knew it wasn't a tantrum of a child. It was a tantrum for his people. Gray slightly smiled, knowing that his brother would make a good king for his country once he found his queen- and perhaps even a greater ruler than their late mother, Queen Ur. Gray didn't find this upsetting though- he knew that he wasn't meant to be the King of his Kingdom. He was far more experienced in tactics and strategies of defense and war than in the knowledge of how to run a kingdom.

"Look, Lyon. We can move more guards to secure the Southern Border. And because it is now summer, most of the water from the Fiore River has run dry. They'll have to approach from the West to follow the Seven River so the have water to fuel themselves and their mares. We will place more guards in the Western Border to warn us of oncoming enemies," Gray said, demonstrating his expertise in this field. "By then, we will be fully prepared and attack them before they can attack us."

Lyon nodded, with a gleam in his eyes. "You are brilliant, brother. I really do wonder how you work as a Prince and as Captain of the Guard at the same time."

Gray brushed off his compliment. He was Captain of the Guard for a small elite team of soldiers. Although his sword fighting and physical strength were impressive, his Prince-like attributes were bone dry. He left most of those duties to Ultear and Lyon to handle.

After their meeting was over, Prince Gray called over his team to train with them for the next several hours.

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Juvia's eyes widened at the site of her new home. It was a room that could have fit a dozen of the slaves in the Bosco mines, yet she had it all to herself. To her left was her own private bathroom, complete with a pearl white bath and a functioning plumbing system. Her bed was soft and had not one, but two pillows fluffed and begging to be slept on. Despite all the generous accommodations, Juvia still felt empty without Gajeel in her room. She would complete the mission, bust him out, and then run far away from the reign of the King.

She looked at the clock as her thoughts ran in her head- two hours before she would be called for dinner with the other soldiers, and more than enough time to wash of the layered filth on her soot-covered skin.

Juvia ran the bath to a comfortable temperature. She hadn't bathed in months, and was slightly disgusted at how quickly the water turned blackened and murky from her own skin. She washed herself probably four times in one sitting, scrubbing herself vigorously until her skin was raw. Once she felt more clean than she had ever felt in her life, she walked out to examine herself in the mirror.

What she saw did not surprise her. Juvia had lost weight- a lot of weight from being underfed and malnourished for a year in the mines. Her face was slightly sunken, but at one point, Juvia had been considered a decent looking girl. Beautiful, one might say. But at this state, deprived of food and on the brink of starvation every day, she had lost her beauty somewhere. She hoped that she would gain more weight with the promised meals that Erza had mentioned.

She walked to her closet to see what it contained. Black pants with a matching tunic. An emerald cloak that would conceal her face. Sturdy brown leather boots that were built for riding a mare as well as sneaking quickly in the woods. And a casual dress that a servant might wear to buy groceries in the city. It was nothing impressive, but also nothing Juvia had seen in ages. She grabbed the black pants and tunic and proceeded to walk to dinner.

The growl in Juvia's stomach could not be tamed. As she saw the pork shoulder and mashed potatoes arrive, she almost regretted that she had gorged herself with three helpings of cheddar and broccoli soup moments ago. The other 30 or so soldiers seemed to share the same thoughts. Their eyes were feasting on the food before their mouths- and who could blame them? They hadn't eaten properly in who knows how long, and now the meal before them was a meal for a King in their eyes.

"This is too damn good to be true," said one soldier, as he tore off the pork from the bone. "They must have poisoned this or something." Yet he still continued to eat.

"It doesn't matter," said another. "I could die right now and I would be happy. I haven't eaten this much in years."

The rest of the dinner was filled with stories of their experiences in the slave mines, their previous lives, and their newfound freedom from the shackles. Juvia didn't speak much, but nodded and gave a few smiles when appropriate. If the Guild of Assassins had taught her anything, it was to not be loose with your mouth and to trust no one. She didn't want to get close to any of these soldiers until she knew exactly how each of them worked.

As the dinner came to a close, Erza stepped into the dining room. The room was immediately hushed with silence.

"We are going to train for a week," Erza stated. She always spoke firmly but eloquently. "Then we will move to the Southern Border to attack Fiore and gather information about their defenses. We will be going through the West for the water supply, so prepare yourselves for a rough next week."

The soldiers were silent and nodded as she walked away. Juvia did not care for what came of next week- she had dealt with the most deadly of trainings at the Guild of Assassins. Whatever it was, she could excel in. Whether it be firing an arrow, throwing her daggers, swordplay, or an outright fistfight- Juvia would have probably been able to take down any of these soldiers in the room.

Juvia walked back to her room, eyes heavy, and fell asleep peacefully without her shackles for the first time in a year.

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**Short chapter, I know! It looks like the next few chapters will be short as well, but i'll be uploading them fairly quickly. Thanks again for your reviews! Also thanks to Moonlightclock for catching the formatting error!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 is out! Hope you all like it :)**

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Swords clashed against each other in the training room where around thirty soldiers practiced their swordsmanship to prepare themselves for the mission to infiltrate the Southern Border of Fiore. The soldiers were still frail and weak, with barely enough energy to last more than a couple of sword fights. By the end of the week, they should be fed well enough to at least hold their own for another 3 rounds. Around the soldiers were Royal Guards that had a deadly stare at the soldiers, ready to attack at any time if any prisoners were to get carried away.

Juvia scanned the perimeter. She noticed that none of the soldiers were particularly graced with the skills to wield a sword. She decided it was in her best interest to play along, and act as if she didn't even know how to correctly position herself with the weapon. She went a few rounds with the other soldiers and intentionally lost each time.

_No need for them to think that I am a threat to them_, Juvia thought. _The element of surprise is always an advantage_.

It wasn't until Erza walked in the training room that Juvia tightened her grip on the wooden sword she was holding.

"Today is the first day for you pathetic lot," Erza growled. "I will personally duel with you to see what level your swordsmanship is at. If you lose, you shall do another 3 extra laps in the morning."

Juvia frowned when Erza didn't mention any gifts of sorts to the winners of the duel. Of course, there would be no gift to the winner. The winner had the prize of living and not being pummeled by Erza.

So one by one, soldiers came and dueled with Erza. None of them had been even close to trapping Erza. Juvia analyzed the way Erza fought. Her left side seemed a bit more vulnerable, as if she had a hard time seeing any site from her left-sided peripheral. Erza also loved to use brute force- something Juvia could take advantage of with her speed and wit.

"You," Erza demanded, pointing to Juvia. "You are next. Come."

"When you're ready," Juvia replied smugly.

This must have set Erza off, because she came charging at Juvia with more speed than she had anticipated. Juvia blocked the first attack, blocking Erza's wooden sword out of harm's way. The two began sparing almost poetically, like a dance in which both members were solely focused on the next moves of their enemy. Juvia sharply inhaled just as Erza's sword missed her by a hair. Juvia had to admit, Captain Erza was a formidable opponent and it would take more effort than usual for Juvia to pin Erza down.

"What would a woman like yourself," huffed Juvia, "be doing here, working as the Captain for the king?"

Their swords clashed against one another. Both of them were straining to keep up with another, their eyes fixated on each other.

"I should have no reason to tell you," Erza muttered under her breath. "I am more capable of any of these men in this room."

"If I remember this correctly, Captain Jellal used to be in charge of these special missions and a fine swordsman. Why is he not here? This match would be much more entertaining if he were here instead of you," Juvia mocked.

"Don't say that name," Erza hissed. Her eyes glowered darkly and rage had just swept past her face.

"Oh? Did I hit a sore spot?" Juvia asked with her brows raised.

"He's dead," Erza said dully.

Juvia's shock to her response left her vulnerable for just a brief second, but that was enough for Erza to have swept her feet at Juvia's ankles, causing her to lose balance and slip. Erza lunged at her, pointing her sword straight at her throat.

"I'll see it that you'll do an extra 5 laps tomorrow," Erza spat.

Juvia laid on the floor with traces of annoyance in her face. She shouldn't have lost. But she also wondered what had happened to Jellal, rumored to be one of the strongest Captains that worked under the king. But she was also happy that he was dead- a man that dangerous working for King Jose could only lead to trouble.

The next week was spent preparing for the raid on the Southern Border in Fiore. Juvia had been given reviews on how to use daggers, detecting poisons, shooting arrows, and swordsmanship to prepare her for battle. Erza never challenged anyone again, nor did she ever elaborate her relationship to Jellal after her talk with Juvia. Juvia wondered what had caused Erza to turn this way- she could see that her eyes had once been softer, her face once more innocent. Something, probably having to do with Jellal, changed her.

On the morning of the departure, Juvia was given her first real set of weapons- no more wooden swords or daggers, but sharp, brand new weapons. A pair of twin daggers rested on the holster around her waist. Juvia also equipped herself with shivs secretly placed on her high and one in her boot. With all her weapons in place, Juvia had to refrain herself from killing every royal guard there in that room once they delivered her new weapons. She had to place Gajeel's safety into consideration.

Though there was one foolish man that tried to escape once he received his weapons. He slashed a royal guard across the stomach and attempted to run. He couldn't even take 3 steps before he fell to the ground, with an arrow on his back from a nearby archer looking in. Juvia winced as she saw the man struggle to escape, then ultimately pleading for his life once he knew he couldn't run any further from his injury.

"Let that be a warning to those who dare try to escape," Erza stated. "Now, we will head to the Southern border to raid Fiore castle.

The trip itself was no walk in the park- they spent a full week travelling in the summer heat with little rest. They only stopped by the rivers for their horses to drink up, and to a few small towns to restock on supplies. Juvia forgotten how freedom felt- though she could barely call this freedom, she hadn't been outside of the coal mines for nearly a year. To be riding a horse from kingdom to kingdom and to feel the breeze sweep through her azure hair reminded her of a much simpler time when she went were she pleased. Juvia could barely contain her excitement- once she finished with this mission she would go back to Gajeel and escape the dreaded Kingdom of Bosco.

* * *

Gray was at his desk reading over a few documents when he was suddenly bombarded by a young royal guard that looked completely out of breath. He raised his brow as he put his papers down.

"Relax," Gray commanded. "What's the matter with you, Romeo?"

The young soldier quickly recognized his disastrous state and recollected himself. "Prince Gray. The border," the young guard panted. "The enemies have been spotted near the borders. About thirty of them."

Gray couldn't help but laugh. _Thirty? They had sent only thirty men to defeat the Southern Border?_

"I'll personally take care of this one," Gray said with wicked excitement in his eyes.

"B-but, your highness! We have so many royal guards; there is no need to risk yourself over such a pathetic attempt," Romeo boldly stated.

Gray just walked over to Romeo and patted his head. "Don't worry about me. I'll teach you the ropes. There is no way that an army of only thirty men have the intention to overthrow the Southern Border. What they are after is information- how we patrol this area and the easiest entrance into the palace gates."

"So what do we do now?" Romeo asked nervously.

"We are going to attack first," Gray smirked as he ran his hand through his onyx hair. "Hand me the exact location of where they are camping out tonight. We will attack and surprise them at dawn."

* * *

"We will camp out here tonight," Erza announced. "Get as much rest as you can tonight. We will start the invasion tomorrow night. Remember that our goal is to gather as much information about the Southern Border defense as possible. Don't do anything foolish that will get yourself killed."

Hushed murmurs spread through the crowd. Of course by now, everyone knew that this was practically a suicidal mission. But as long as a few survived to pass on the word of the defenses, it was good enough for King Jose. People seemed to be frightened and confused. It wasn't much different than in the coal mines. The probability of dying at any given moment was still a threat that they couldn't run from, even if they were hundred of miles away from the labor camp.

Juvia thought about Gajeel. She hoped that he was still holding up. Once she completed this mission she would be trusted with weapons again. And with that trust, she would use it to shatter the labor camp and set Gajeel and the others free. Free to live and do as they please. And Juvia and Gajeel would return to the Kingdom of Seven, where they grew up in.

Juvia sighed as she entered her tent to sleep. Her eyes become heavier, heavier, and she eventually drifted off to sleep.

Juvia jolted away. She immediately grabbed her twin daggers in reaction to the noises she heard. Men were yelling, screaming, and the horses outside were already running. Juvia quickly slipped on her boots and ran outside her tent as she heard Erza yelling.

"Retreat! GO!" she shouted at her men.

Erza was on her horse, screaming at everyone to run. Juvia quickly took a moment to observe her surroundings- men were scrambling out of their tents in find their horses to her right. To her left, she saw… she saw an army of about 50 men riding on their horses and shooting arrows at their campsite. She knew instantly that they were Fiore soldiers from the insignia of a wing that spread across their metal plates.

Most of the men had already scrambled and ran away- but many were on the floor already dead with arrows in their backs or gashes on their stomachs from the attacking Fiore soldiers. Juvia took no time in grabbing her horse to start running away from the ambush- until she saw Erza fighting against 6 other men.

Juvia slowed down in shock. Despite Erza's cold words to her soldiers and the way she treated Juvia, it seemed as if Erza was staying _behind_ to distract her enemies so the rest of her soldiers could have a clean getaway.

Juvia should have kept running. She should have ran until her lungs were ready to collapse. But once she saw Erza take an arrow to her shoulder, Juvia started lunging at her enemies.

Before anyone Fiore soldiers could see it coming, Juvia had slashed down four archers. She then proceeded to run at a haunting speed to where the wounded Erza was to take down the 6 men that surrounded her. Juvia quickly slashed the throat of the first two- and dodged the attempted blows of the other four. She danced around them as if it were a game, and despite the strained growls from the remaining four soldiers, Juvia just smiled as she stabbed them and threw them on the ground.

"You…" Erza coughed, blood spilling from her arm. "You came back."

Juvia's eyes softened a bit. "You didn't abandon us when we needed you most. I decided to return the favor," Juiva replied as she put Erza on a horse.

"Thank you, Juvia." Erza said.

But their heartfelt reunion ended shortly when another group of soldiers started running towards them. Juvia's head snapped in the direction of the attackers.

"You have to go. Make sure the other men are okay. I don't know when i'll make it back, _if_ I will make it back- But because I saved you, you must make sure that Gajeel doesn't get hurt." Juvia said fiercely.

Erza nodded as she clutched her bleeding shoulder. Juvia whipped the horse and the mare started running away from the scene, with an injured Erza riding off into the distance toward her soldiers.

Juvia stood in a fighting stance, readying herself for the oncoming soldiers.

"Stop," a deep voice commanded. Suddenly, all the soldiers lowered their swords as Prince Gray walked to Juvia.

"You killed ten of my men within a matter of minutes," Gray began. "Just who the hell are you?"

If Juvia had not been in such a deadly situation, she probably would have melted right there. The person in front of her was exceedingly handsome- He was a tall and muscular looking young man with onyx black hair that fell just above his cold, dark blue eyes. His stance was proud, and his strong jaw line made him look threatening. And very attractive.

"I-I, um, er, Juvia…" Juvia babbled. What on earth was he doing to her? And he was merely _standing, existing_ in front of her.

Juvia shook her head angrily. No one has ever made her into such a mess with just two sentences. She would not fall into this trap, not when she was so close to freedom. Her grip on her twin daggers tightened.

"I'm the one that will kill you," Juvia responded. And with that, she dove in for the kill.

* * *

**Gahhh, she finally meets Gray! Although it sucks that she basically wants to kill him.**

**Also, some of you speculated that Erza was evil, but she's just doing her job! In the end, she really cares for her soldiers :')**

**And thanks for all the reviews! It really helps me keep writing this story :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks for all the reviews, favorites, etc! And thanks for being patient with me as I write these chapters. I know they are very short, so I am planning to write longer chapters. Expect some slower uploads, but I appreciate your support! :)**

* * *

Gray looked at the woman before him with astonishment. She was a _woman_, for Mavis's sake. How was she able to kill ten of his top notch men in an instant? He forced his eyes to focus and looked at her a little more clearly. She had wavy, light blue hair and pale skin that made her look ever so delicate. Her eyes, large and doll-like were deep blue like the ocean and her body was well formed. He would have considered her beautiful had she not looked like someone who just killed his soldiers like it was a walk in the park. With her keen skills, he knew that she had dealt with death multiple times before this battle.

"I'm the one that will kill you," Juvia growled. Although this man made her knees weak and her heart skip a beat, she would not fall for his trap. She rushed at him with daunting speed, her daggers gleaming in under the moonlight.

Gray snapped out of his thoughts and immediately blocked her daggers with his broad sword. He swiftly hit her hand with the hilt of his sword to send one of her daggers flying to the edge. He smirked as she cursed him for making her lose a dagger. She glared at him with the utmost hatred and swiped her foot under his legs, causing him to fall to the ground- a move Erza taught Juvia.

Juvia jumped on top of Gray, whose back was on the floor, and grabbed her dagger with two hands and aimed to plunge it straight through Gray's heart. But Gray knew this and grabbed her wrists to push the dagger away from his chest. The dagger hovered just centimeters above his heart. Both parties were struggling for inches- inches that would determine the fate of the battle. Intensity flooded the atmosphere, and both were grunting to in a battle of strength.

Soldiers began to call for the Prince, running to his aid. They raised their arrows, swords, and shields, readying themselves to die for the prince rather than see him be killed by a Bosco soldier.

"Don't," Gray shouted, his eyes still focusing on the dagger. "I will take care of her personally." With that, Gray kicked Juvia's chest, sending her flying backwards and causing her dagger to scatter on the floor.

"Bastard," Juvia snarled at the handsome man before her, as she picked herself up from the ground. "Your dirty tactics won't trick my eyes!"

Gray paused slightly with a confused look on his face. Dirty tactics? Hadn't he just told his men to _not_ attack the woman in front of him? And why did she look so damn flustered? But Gray pushed this all aside, concentrating on how to best deal with this woman.

"_Bastard_?" Gray called out. "Do you know who I am?"

"Does Juvia look like she cares?" Juvia responded, still feeling heat rise to her face. In truth, she was just a _bit_ curious to know who he was.

"I am Prince Gray, of Fiore Kingdom. You would be wise to step down now," he commanded.

Juvia laughed bitterly. She was so utterly tired of all these royal highnesses, commanding her to do this and that- as if their title was the only thing stopping her from doing what she wanted. Were they not well aware that she could send them to Death's door in a blink of an eye?

"And I am Juvia Lockser, raised in the Guild of Assassins," she snapped back. "Which title sounds more threatening?"

Before Gray could respond, Juvia came running to him, pulling out her shiv from her thigh. She punched him square in the jaw and pushed him to the ground with her weapon against his throat.

"Sorry, your highness. Looks like being a Prince won't help you in this situation," Juvia mocked, with her shiv pointed at Gray's jugular.

"That's where you are wrong," Gray responded, with a smirk spreading across his lips.

Suddenly, Juvia felt cold. A cold that she had never felt before- it sent her shivering straight to her bones. When she looked down at her body she saw Gray's hand pressed against her waist- and ice? She couldn't understand what was happening, how her body was becoming engulfed in ice so quickly.

Then it hit her. He was of royal bloodline. Just like King Jose, Gray had the ability…

"M-magic?" Juvia asked, shuddering. She couldn't get another word out before Gray's hilt smashed against her head, causing her to black out.

But Juvia could have sworn right before she passed out, shivering in his arms, she saw Gray give her a look mixed with pity and sorrow.

* * *

Juvia stirred awake in the warm embrace of someone's arms. Her head ached and she wished that could just stay in these arms for a little longer, even if it was only for a moment. Then, she could get back to whatever she was doing.

But wait, what _was_ she doing before this?

Juvia suddenly jolted up struggling to understand where she was. One moment, she was fighting Prince Gray, and the next then she remembered was taking a blow to the head, with her hands frozen by magic. _Magic_. Juvia could barely believe it- she had never seen magic used before, and the thought of her kidnapper having this ability scared her. Yes, she had been trained in the Guild of Assassins, but she had never been taught how to fight against magic, which had become practically extinct. Because of this, Gray wasn't just her average opponent, he had become a wildcard. She wouldn't be able to predict his moves or know how to stop him from using his magic.

Juvia looked up to see that Gray was holding her with one arm on his lap as they rode on his horse alongside his military men. He had noticed her struggle to break free and tightened his hold on the assassin.

"What are you going to do to Juvia?" Juvia scowled. But despite her angry voice, there was a hint fear that crept up in her voice.

Gray said nothing as he kept his head towards the horizen and continued to steer his horse.

"Juvia is _talking_ to you," she gritted through her teeth. Juvia attempted to thrash out of his grasp but Gray's arm remained stiff.

_He's stronger than Juvia believed him to be_, Juvia thought. _He'll be quite the challenge to kill, which is something that doesn't please Juvia._

Finally, a low voice that came out almost as a whisper responded to her.

"Don't try to make this harder on yourself. You won't escape, and your feet and hands are bound," Gray said in a harsh tone.

Juvia looked down to see that her arms and legs were indeed tied up. She also felt significantly lighter- they had removed all her weapons she kept on her. Juvia's eyes hardened. In this moment, she was utterly useless. Her face must have shown that she was in pure defeat, because as soon as she realized this, Gray spoke again, but this time in a softer voice.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he whispered gently.

Juvia just scoffed, still feeling the headache from the blow she received earlier from Gray.

"Besides that one time," Gray said quickly. "Look, you should rest now. It will take us a while to get back."

Juvia glared at Gray. She knew she shouldn't trust him. She couldn't trust anyone. But the way he spoke to her, in a gentle and caring tone, was completely foreign to her. She almost _wanted_ to trust him. She decided that for now, she would listen to him, just this once. Then she would escape once they reached their destination. She relaxed her body and pushed her head against Gray's chest, feeling the warmth of his arms surrounding her again. As she relaxed, so did Gray's hold on her. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes, letting sleep take her.

Gray admired the stars as they rode off into the night. Had he made a mistake by revealing that magic still ran in his bloodline? He tried to keep this a secret, just as he told his citizens to do, to avoid execution when they were at war with Bosco. But Gray shook his head. He didn't have any other choice- the girl was strong. Although he admittedly could beat her on strength alone, her quick speed was the downfall of him during their fight. He had no other choice but to slow her down by freezing her.

Gray looked at the blunette as she settled into his arms. He watched her quietly as she lay in his arms, with her breath becoming more even as she fell asleep. Gray traced her features out in his mind- large cerulean orbs surrounded by thick black lashes and a tiny button nose. The angles on her pale face were softer now that she wasn't trying to attack anyone. Her blue wavy hair swept with the wind as he rode his horse through the passes. She looked like a normal girl when she slept.

It was a shame that she wasn't. And he was going to use that to his advantage.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hi all, thanks for being patient. Remember to review and favorite! Here's the next chapter~**

* * *

Juvia awakened in a soft bed with dark blue sheets surrounding her. The clothes she wore to battle were gone, and she was now wearing a simple white tunic with tight black pants. She pushed herself up on the bed and scanned the room. It was nothing special, but definitely someone of higher class owned this space. Although there was no decorative material, the sheets were made of fine quality and the sparse furniture – two chairs and a table, her bed, and a couch – all were of high grade quality. Juvia slumped back into bed realizing that she could use none of this as a makeshift weapon. She just as quickly got up, realizing that she had large glass panel windows where the light trickled in.

She jiggled the opening. Locked. No matter, she would smash her way through the glass. Until she realized she was high up from the ground. A leap like that would have killed her, and it didn't help that there were men standing guard right below her window.

"They really aren't making this easy for me, are they?" Juvia muttered. She buried her face in her hands as she took a seat on the couch.

_How is Juvia going to get back?_ She pondered. _Juvia must make sure Gajeel is safe…_

Then Juvia heard voices coming through the door. She quietly glided through the door barefoot, with her ear pressed up against the wood to hear the conversation.

"…You can't! Having an _enemy_, an _assassin_, in your living quarters is suicidal!" A man's voice cried out.

"He's right, Gray. She needs to be put in the dungeons, where we know she can't hurt anyone," A woman's voice rang out.

"She's _dangerous_, and that's exactly why I am keeping her in my living quarters. You have to understand that she took down _ten_ of my men in a matter of minutes! I can't be responsible for any more deaths," Gray said, with guilt rising from his stomach.

Juvia gulped at his response and slowly raiser her hands. _Guilt?_ Juvia hadn't felt guilt in a long time. After killing countless people, the effect of guilt wore off. Juvia never tried to think about the repercussions of killing someone, whether they had a family or had a high title. And she usually only took jobs where the victims were criminals- dark lords, murderers, or rapists- or committed an act of killing to protect herself. And besides, she had been overcome with a stronger feeling than guilt- the basic instinct of survival.

"Gray…" the woman's voice warned. "We don't know what she is capable of."

"Exactly. She could help us, be on our side. And we won't gain her trust if we throw her in the dungeon. At least… let me be the one responsible for her." Gray spoke with conviction and persuasion. "I can stop her with my ice if she ever gets out of hand."

Ultear and Lyon nodded. They understood that Juvia could cripple the Kingdom of Bosco, and Gray's magic was more advanced than both of them combined. Because Lyon and Ultear took care of most of the Fiore's matters, Gray was left to train his military skills and ice magic freely.

"Fine, a week, Gray," Ultear replied. "We will give you a week to see if your plan works."  
Lyon simply nodded, not wanting to heighten the tension between his sister and brother any longer. With that, the siblings both departed Gray's living quarters.

Juvia felt her heart skip a beat when she heard Gray speak. He wanted to look after her, and take care of her. But Juvia wondered if it was for the right reasons. Why did they want her to trust them? What were their intentions? Juvia shook her head and pressed herself against the wall to continue the eavesdropping.

Suddenly, it was quiet. Before it was too late for Juvia to react, the door opened and the entirety of Juvia's weight fell onto Gray's chest.

"Ompf!" squealed Juvia. She placed her hands on his sculpted chest for support so she wouldn't fall. Gray simply stood there, strong as a rock, with confusion written on his face.

Juvia promptly pushed herself back as fast as she cold. Her knees were getting weak and she blushed furiously.

_Curses,_ she thought to herself. _Get a hold of yourself!_

Gray raised his brow, staring at the blunette as she stumbled a bit before recollecting herself.

"You were listening to that entire conversation, weren't you?" he asked suspiciously.

"Juvia is just putting her skills to use," she replied back, as coolly as she could.

"Well, it doesn't matter if you did or not. We have a proposal for you. We want you to help us."

"Help? Why would I want to help you after you kidnapped me?!" Juvia shouted. She couldn't believe the nerves this Prince had. First they ambush and kill the soldiers she was with, now they wanted her to _help_ them? "I am not a mere puppet for your entertainment."

"Aren't you a puppet for King Jose?" Gray questioned. His dark eyes were serious as the words escaped his mouth.

Juvia stood there, with all the color draining out of her face. She was a puppet. She was a puppet ever since she was selected to join the Guild of Assassins. She would do one job after the next, listening to the orders given to her by the rich nobles who hired her. Then she became captured by King Jose and worked as a slave in the coal mines. Now, she would be a puppet for the prince who captured her. Juvia had never truly tasted freedom- she had been a mere acquaintance of it, brushing by it from time to time but never truly enjoying it's company.

"I-I," Juvia stammered. Hurt spread across her face and she had felt like she had been punched in the gut. "I don't want to be a puppet for anyone…"

Gray watched the girl carefully as she dropped her head and her eyes stared at the ground. He was not expecting this from the young assassin. Rather, he was expecting her to be brash with her words and resist every suggestion he made. But as she spoke with her soft voice, she seemed a bit afraid, and a bit confused.

"Well," Gray continued, running a hand through his hair. "I'll give you a choice, then. Stay here in the castle for a week. Learn more about the history of all the Kingdoms during your stay. You can also freely walk around the palace as you wish. When the week is up, you can decide to join us and our forces or you can choose to leave."

Juvia's head shot up, and she looked at Gray with her large cerulean orbs. She was in disbelief from his proposal. Does he know that she could easily rob the place and run free by nightfall? How can this man throw is trust so complacently?

"What's the catch?" she questioned, with a skeptical look on her face.

"There's no catch," Gray replied. "Of course, I'll be keeping my eye out on you so you don't harm anyone. But you are not from Bosco, and I wouldn't punish anyone who was under the threat of King Jose."

"How did you know I wasn't from Bosco?" Juvia asked.

"King Jose sent 30 men to try to get information from my Southern Border. Sending such few men to breach the wall showed that he didn't care very much for who would have lived or died, as long as your Captain came back with knowledge on the Border. With such a risky mission, he would not send the citizens of Bosco, but rather, slaves that he has acquired." Gray said gruffly.

_He's quite the tactician and observant_, Juvia thought to herself.

"Why would I want to stay and risk my life when I could leave and enjoy my freedom?" Juvia asked, continuing her investigation of trying to understand why the Prince was so generous to her.

"There are ideas and believes that are much greater than an individual self that are worth fighting for," Gray said thoughtfully, as he walked to the window to overlook his kingdom.

"I don't understand," Juvia said softly as she followed him to the window.

Gray sighed and turned to look at Juvia. Her eyebrows were furrowed together as she contemplated his last response.

"You will soon understand when this week is over. But for now, how about the incentive of 8 million jewels if you help us?"

Juvia's jaw dropped to the floor. _8 million_? She doesn't even know what 1 million jewels looked like! But imagine… 8 million! She could retire as an assassin with that kind of money. She could take that money, break Gajeel out, and then return to her kingdom and live like a king with him!

Gray must have noticed her disbelief and excitement, because he let out a low chuckle. He imagined that she lived in poverty most of her life, so being in a castle and being offered so many jewels must have been something foreign to her. He decided that right then and there that he would spoil her a bit over this week- get her a few dresses and whatnot. There was no harm in that, he thought. Besides, the assassin had spent a year in the mines, so he thought he would show her around his lovely town. It would be a good opportunity for Gray to convince her to join sides with him after she explored and witness how wonderful Fiore was.

Gray cleared his throat to get Juvia's attention. She quickly stopped counting the things shoe could buy on her fingers and looked up to him with dazzle in her eyes.

"You've got yourself a deal, Gray-sama! I'll help you with your mission and take your offer on those jewels." Juvia said ecstatically.

"What's with the –sama all of a sudden?" Gray asked, with a surprised look on his face.

"That's how I address all of my employers," Juvia said with a wink.

"E-erm, sure," Gray managed to mumble, feeling his cheeks become slightly warm. "Well, convincing you to help me out was a lot easier than I thought. But you'll still have to stay here for the week so I can keep my eye out on you if you try to blight me."

Now it was Juvia's turn to blush. Even though Gajeel kept an eye on for her and took care of her, she didn't feel butterflies erupt inside her like she did with Gray. But she tried to shake away the mixed feelings she had. She was still on a mission to get Gajeel out of the mines and to run back to her home. Getting involved any further than she already is would only bring another nest of complications.

_Eyes on the prize, Juvia,_ she said to herself. _Do the mission, get the jewels, and leave_.

"Well then," Gray began, interrupting Juvia's thoughts. "I have a meeting to attend to, so I'll be back in a little bit over an hour. Please clean yourself up in the bathroom to your left, and I'll show you around the palace when I return. And don't even think about tried to kill any more of my men- your exits will be guarded with my men and there isn't anything in this room that you can use as a weapon."

Juvia just nodded. She wasn't about to leave this place until she collected her prize money, anyone. And there was still the whole magic thing that she needed to confront Gray about- but she thought that she would bring it up another time once she got everything sorted out. Gray looked at her intently for a moment as if he were going to say something in response to her silent thinking, but stopped short and walked out of her room to attend his Princely duties.

* * *

Once Gray left, Juvia went to draw herself a warm bath. She could finally get rid of the dirt stuck underneath her fingernails and have her hair smelling like flowers again. She sighed for what seemed to be the hundredth time today, still trying to understand the situation she was in. One moment she was with Erza trying to understand Fiore's defenses, and the next she was helping the Prince of Fiore take down King Jose. All of this gave her a minor headache, and it wasn't until she just came to accept the terms the way they were that they subsided.

Juvia closed her eyes and relaxed in the pool of water. She felt like her sores had disappeared the instant she melted into the tub. Juvia had always felt like she had a special affinity to water. Perhaps it was because she grew up next to the ocean, or because she loved to swim during her free time as a child. Whatever it was, she always found comfort in water that no person could ever give her.

Her thoughts drifted from Prince Gray to her Guild of Assassins as she sat idly in the pool of water. It wasn't until she realized that she had spent nearly an hour in there, contemplating her life and what was to come. Gray would be coming back to her room soon, and although she thought he was very attractive, she definitely did not what him to walk in on her in the shower. Juvia tossed her hair dry and put back on her white tunic and ebony pants. Just as she wrapped her hair into a messy ponytail, she heard a knock coming from her door.

"Juvia," Gray spoke as his knuckles continued to hit the wooden door. "I'm coming in,"

Juvia watched as the door creaked open and the tall, handsome prince stood before her.

"Great, you look ready. Let me show you around the castle now," Gray said as he extended his arm to her.

Juiva blushed furiously and felt the butterflies she thought she killed emerge back into her stomach. She shyly took his arm and linked elbows with him as he guided her out the door.

He gave her a lazy grin as they walked towards her door.

"Juvia, I think you've made the right decision. You are going to love it here in Fiore," Gray said decisively.

Juvia just gulped. _Dear god_, she said to herself nervously, still trying to sort out all her emotions_. I hope I don't love this place as much as you say, or I might just stay here forever,_ she thought out loud as she looked into his deep onyx eyes.

* * *

"So, here are my living quarters," Gray explained as he gestured down the hallway. "It's a bit small, but I take comfort in it."

Juvia almost had to stop herself from screaming out loud when Gray said that. Sure, it may have been small relative to the entirety of the castle, and hell, it might have even been small for your average prince. But to Juvia, Gray's living quarters, which only took a small portion of the castle, was the enormous compared to what Juvia was used to. Her room alone was already graciously spacious.

Despite Juvia's shock of the size of the rooms, she still made mental notes in her head to memorize the layout of the living quarters. Gray's room, which they did not enter, was at the end of the hallway. Across from his room was the guest room, where Juvia was staying. The next room they walked into was a small dining area, which Juvia supposed it was used for private meals with only room for a couple extra guests. Paintings hung from every side of the wall, and the room was decorated of busts and vases that looked far too valuable to be left unguarded. A small fireplace in one end of the room sat in front of a soft, handmade carpet. On the other end of the room held a modest size table, but it was made of high quality maple wood and had a beautiful finishing glaze to it. Above it hung a chandelier that looked it like it was built with hundreds of intricate ice shards. Juvia couldn't keep her eyes off of it.

"Do you like it?" Gray asked, when he noticed her eyeing the chandelier. He walked closer to her as she continued to admire it.

"It's beautiful," Juvia said simply. Her eyes did not leave the artwork.

"My father crafted it for us. He was always interested in those kinds of projects," Gray said, with a hint of melancholy in his voice.

Juvia simply nodded. She knew that Fiore had suffered due to the death of the late Queen Ur, and the disappearance of King Silver in a battle against Bosco. The chandelier was probably one of the few things left that Gray could cherish and remember his father by.

"Anyway, this is where we will be eating most of our meals, so make yourself at home."

"We?" Juvia asked. "You are the Prince- shouldn't you be eating with much more important people in the main dining hall?"

Gray laughed heartily, which sent a shockwave through Juvia's heart.

"Even the Prince gets tired of eating with noblemen and people in the royal court. I find it more preferable to eat by myself here, or with my soldiers after training."

"Oh," Juvia replied shortly. Even though her answer was simple, she felt a bit happy that she could share a meal with someone other than Gajeel. She loved Gajeel's company, but he never carried much of a conversation over their meals. He usually just scarfed down his food in silence and then carried on to his next task. Perhaps Gray would be different, and would like to talk from time to time over their meals.

"If you don't want to eat here, you can always eat in your room too," Gray said in response to her short reply, misunderstanding her completely.

"No!" Juvia said, a little too eagerly. "I mean, it can be nice to have company over a meal. I look forward to it." Juvia looked down to cover the hint of pink that crept up on her cheeks.

Gray chuckled at her response.

"I guess even you, an infamous assassin, can't resist having a meal with the Prince," Gray smirked.

Juvia immediately regretted what she had said. Although he was technically now her employer, she still had to be aware of the situation she was in- she was on no one's side but herself. How could she have let her guard down so easily and let her emotions over take her? The Guild of Assassins had taught her better- she suppressed her emotions and tried to recover from his comment.

"Juvia said it would be nice to have company-whether it be Gray-sama or anyone else, it is all the same to Juvia," she lied.

"Oh, I see," Gray said. Juvia said a tinge of hurt in his face- did the Prince's ego get bruised that easily? His face now turned into the stoic face that she saw the first time she met him.

"Let's move on to the rest of the living area," Gray said, his eyes hidden beneath his dark bangs.

The two moved in silence and awkwardness to the next few rooms. Juvia worried that she had hurt the Prince with her words, but shook that thought away as she tried to calm her mind. _He_ was the one who was teasing her and being cocky anyway. He would get over it, and she needed to stay on task. Juvia breathed in relief as they headed to the next room-a library and work study room.

"The library," Gray stated. "Feel free to pick up some books or work at that desk if you please." His voice was a bit colder than before, but Juvia had barely noticed it as her eyes traced through the hundreds of books aligned against the shelves.

"Wonderful…" Juvia murmured to herself as excitement lit up her face. She hadn't read since she left the Guild of Assassins, and she was eager to gain more knowledge. "May I take one to my room to read?"

The question shocked Gray. He thought that most assassins would be more interested in slitting throats than reading dusty books in a library. He looked at Juvia's face which gleamed with delight. Well, he couldn't say no to that.

"Certainly," Gray replied, putting his hand over his neck. "Just make sure to return them properly. Some of these books are really valuable and contain a lot of information that I am looking up."

"What kind of information?" Juvia asked curiously. "Historical knowledge?"

"Something like that," Gray responded. He didn't want to tell her that he was researching ancient magic just yet. Better leave that one out until she brings it up, and he hoped that she never would.

Juvia just hummed to his reply as she walked around and let her fingertips glaze over the bindings of the books. One with a golden binding caught her eye. Juvia plucked it off the shelf.

* * *

_Fairy Tale- A Collection of Magical Stories_

"This one seems interesting." Juvia studied the cover of the book, which had a simple insignia of a single white wing.

Gray chuckled at her pick.

"What's so funny?" Juvia asked. "Is this book bad?

"I haven't read it. That book is meant for children. They are stories made up for their entertainment."

"Every tale has truth to it," Juvia defended. She was a bit embarrassed, since she wasn't a child anymore, but the book interested her and it would be a nice start to ease her back into reading. She clutched the book tightly against her chest and pouted.

Gray just patted her head and walked out of the room. Juvia followed, stomping a bit too loudly. Gray pointed out a meeting room next to the library and a resting room that had a few couches and tables laying around.

"Well, that pretty much is the living area that belongs to me," Gray said. "I have to leave to discuss your stay here with Ultear and Lyon. The servants will bring you dinner at the dining area later tonight. I won't be able to join you, but I'm sure you'll enjoy the food non-the-less." He gave Juvia a deep bow and headed toward the hallway.

"Gray-sama," Juvia called out. He turned around immediately. "Thank you for providing me with a place to stay, and giving me such a generous offer."

Gray crossed his arms over his broad chest.

"I should be the one thanking you," Gray replied, and then walked away.

Juvia didn't fully understand why Gray said that, but she brushed it off and thought about what would come of her stay here, all the way until dinner time, where she stopped thinking to stuff her face with pork, turkey, cranberry sauce, and all other things delicious.

Later that night, before Juvia went to bed, she read a short story from _Fairy Tale_.

_Long ago, dragons and humans lived in peace and harmony. They each shared mutual respect for one another, despite their differences in the way of life._

_But that respect shattered when an evil man started slaying the dragons. The man had an abundance of magic, which allowed him to slaughter them. He laughed as he collected the scales and teeth of his prey. Not only that, but he was able to harvest some of the powers of the dragon to become even stronger. _

_At last, he had killed the last dragon of his time. But his magical powers could no longer control the powers of all the dragons he had killed. He eventually went mad, consumed with darkness, and lost part of human form, turning him into a man with dragon scales, claws, and wings. Unable to control the power pumping within his veins, he began to attack villages. No one was at his mercy- not even his own family. _

_And as suddenly has he had turned into a monster, he disappeared after causing turmoil in all five nations. The people wait for his return, ready to defend their land from his chaotic attacks._

_Those who seek him find truth. Those who seek him find death. Rain will fall the day the Hero meets him, the Darkness, and should that fateful day occur, the world will turn anew once again._

Juvia sank into her bed. _Dragons and magic…. what kind of story is that?_ She thought. _That is definitely not a children's story, and it didn't even have a good ending! _Juvia sighed. She hoped that the next story would have a more complete ending. She snuggled up against her pillows and closed her eyes.

* * *

**Stay tuned for next chapter my friends! :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6~  
****Please enjoy, review, and favorite!**

* * *

Light trickled into Juvia's bedroom. Her heavy eyelids fluttered open as the birds sang outside her window. She had slept well the other night, despite the exhausting tour of Gray's chambers and all the food she ate by herself at dinner. Just as soon as she woke up, a knock appeared at her door.

"Coming," Juvia said groggily. She dragged her feet to door and swung it open.

"Erm…Do you need some more time?" Gray asked. He looked at Juvia, who was still in a daze and had just gotten out of bed. Her gentle curls were tousled in an unordered manner, and she was still wearing her night gown that was a bit too short….

Gray quickly looked away before his imagination got to the best of him.

"Gray-sama?" Juvia asked as she rubbed her eyes, fully unaware of the effect of her night gown. "Was Juvia supposed to get up earlier?"

"No, I forgot to tell you last night. I am going to take you around town to understand more of our kingdom," He responded, with his dark eyes meeting hers eyes- and only her eyes.

"Ah, in that case, let Juvia get read-" But before Juvia could finish her sentence, a strange man burst into her room and grabbed her by the hands.

"Is this…love at first sight?" said the stranger. He had white, spiky hair and wore a dark blue tunic. His eyes were sharp but his features were attractive.

Juvia flinched at his hold and wasted no time in a counter-attack. In a flash, she kicked the stranger and dropped him to the floor, pinning her arm around his neck.

"I saw…your panties…" the stranger mumbled blissfully.

Juvia blushed furiously and tightened her grip on his neck, causing him to pass out.

Gray smirked as he looked at Lyon sprawled on the floor. He never was much of a fighter.

"Gray-sama! Who is that? An enemy? Shall I dispose of him?" Juvia shouted protectively. Her eyes frantically darted around the room and outside the hallways for any more suspicious intruders.

Gray tried to hold in his laughter.

"That is my brother, Lyon," Gray looked annoyed as he introduced the corpse to her.

"And you don't need to protect me, Juvia. I can take care of myself," Gray replied, looking at the blunette oddly. Usually, he's the one protecting a girl, and not the other way around.

"But Juvia is-"

"A world-class assassin, I know. But that didn't stop me from beating you last time," Gray announced, a bit too proudly.

"That didn't count! You used magic!" Juvia accused. But once she let the word _magic_ slip out of her mouth, Gray's playful expression dropped into a stoic one.

"You remember that?" He asked as his brows furrowed together.

"Yes…I want to know more. I thought magic had been decimated." Juvia approached this with caution.

"Ugh…" Lyon started to stir awake.

"We can talk about this more as we head to town. Let's go now, since it's already late," Gray said hastily.

"But what about Prince Lyon?" Juvia asked. She looked at Lyon, who seemed like he was about to regain consciousness at any moment.

"Forget him," Gray reassured. "I don't wanna hear what he has to say to you when he wakes up, which seems like any moment now." Gray then grabbed Juvia and pulled her out of her room.

"But Juvia haven't changed yet!" Juvia cried as she was dragged by Gray. Gray just looked at her and tossed her his coat.

"We will get some stuff at the market as we go," Gray said. He didn't know why, but he _really_ didn't want to be there when Lyon woke up. He had a suspicion that his brother was going to court Juvia, and that would be completely bothersome to their training. Yeah, he didn't like the idea of him being near her one bit. 

* * *

"Gray-sama, please tell me more about your magic," Juvia asked sternly, as the two headed to the marketplace in town. She didn't seem to notice the stares and hoots she was receiving due to her outfit- a pair of black boots and Gray's coat that hung just above her knees.

"Tch," was all Gray said. He should have let her change, because now all the men were staring at her. On the other hand, nobody seemed to recognize, let alone, notice Gray. He was in dark casual attire with a hood over his face- it would be hard to recognize the prince out in public unless someone took a really good look at him.

"Juvia knows it's a taboo topic, but I will not help you unless you tell me about your powers," Juvia replied stubbornly. She gave him a pout with her large blue eyes.

"No-I mean- I was thinking about something else. Of course I'll tell you about my magic." Gray said openly. He cursed himself for getting off-track again, which seemed to be happening more and more often. "I am of royal Fiore bloodline, which means I can inherently use ice magic."

"But your mother…"

"She was killed by King Jose because she openly practiced magic and tried to fight back against him." Gray said dully. Despite his lack of concern in his voice, Juvia saw his eyes flicker a bit.

Juvia placed her hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "I'm sorry to hear that. I heard she was a lovely Queen."

And it was true. Queen Ur was loyal to her people, and never initiated conflicts with other territories. She had even heard Gajeel once talk about how he wanted to move to Fiore because of how peaceful it was there. The silence lingered and hung heavy in the air as they paced to their destination, both thinking about how the Queen's reign ended too soon.

The silence made Juvia tense up a bit. Was this still a sore topic to Gray? Perhaps she shouldn't have asked about his mother.

But Gray didn't seem to notice, and steered the conversation back on track as they moved into the bustling city life.

"Anyway, magic hasn't completely disappeared. Since the killings from King Jose are only targeted at those who can use magic, we've ordered our people to practice in secret. Despite our heeds, many of them have either been kidnapped from our country or lost at war."

"So it's not gone?" Juvia asked. She could barely comprehend the situation around her. Never in a thousand years had she imagine she'd be walking alongside a Prince who could utilize magic, and that magic was still out there. It had been as if she was living a lie.

"Of course not. Magic is persistent and stubborn. Even if you kill us all, magic will find a way to leech back into our lives. It is Mavis's will."

"Do you actually believe that fairies like Mavis are still around? To grant us these powers?" Juvia asked. She figured that the fairies should have already appeared by now, blessing everyone with magic to stop King Jose. But nothing has happened yet.

"No, as far as I'm concerned, fairies were only around in the beginning of our time. They should be long gone by now. Their magic in us lives on though, as many claim." Gray responded quietly. The townspeople around them paid no attention to their conversation, too busy with their own lives to care about a couple of young adults passing them by.

"Teach me." Juvia demanded. She halted and looked at him with determined eyes.

"What?" Gray asked, shocked. He stopped walking mid-step as soon as he heard her request.

"Teach me magic. You said you would train me. Why not just teach me some of your ice magic? It'll blow through the enemies much quicker." Juvia stated.

Gray scoffed at the idea.

"Magic cannot be taught. It is given to you as a gift once you are born. If you hadn't discovered it by now, you most definitely do not have it." Gray said as he turned his back to move forward again.

"How do you know if you haven't even tried to teach me?!" Juvia shouted. She was eager to learn magic. She needed to be more powerful, if that meant getting Gajeel back to safety and protecting herself from King Jose if he caught her.

Gray stopped dead in his tracks and turned around. Even though the hood over Gray's face shadowed his face, Juvia could tell. A look of rage spread across his face, one that made Juvia quiver in fear for a second.

"Do you think magic is some kind of game?! People are dying because they have this gift-and it wasn't a choice they could make! And you want to learn this to kill more people because it is more convenient?!" Gray yelled. His hands were clenched and shaking.

Juvia couldn't believe he was shouting at her. Had she been wrong to ask such a question? She lost her temper too, and began to retaliate.

"Then what's the difference of you making me help your army?! It's also a matter of convenience to you! At least I am not using a human to do my dirty deeds- I am trying to learn how to defend for myself!" Juvia angrily replied. She couldn't believe it. She had though Gray would be different- a little more compassionate than King Jose. She didn't think she would be yelled at for asking a simple request. But he was just the same- using her to win the power struggle between kingdoms.

"Keep it down!" Gray growled. His eyes shifted to the streets. Some people stopped and stared at the bickering between Gray and Juvia. Others quickly moved along, not wanting to be bothered if a sudden fight were to occur.

"Don't need to tell me twice," Juvia spat, as she walked away from the scene.

"Where do you think you are going?!" Gray scowled.

"To explore the town- wasn't that your original plan? I'll do just that- without your help," Juvia sneered, waving him off with her hand. And with that, she had disappeared into the crowd and left Gray standing there with his mouth ajar.

"Son, you better treat your girlfriend over there nicer. That's no way to treat a lady," an older stranger commented. "Gotta keep 'em and make sure they don't slip away."

"She's not my girlfriend! Ugh!" Gray exclaimed, with frustration straining his voice. He walked opposite the direction that Juvia was headed to.

That impossible girl! Did she not know that magic has threatened the very lives of his people? Of his mother? It isn't something of a side hobby, and yet she treats it so. And the way she talked to him- he was a Prince! Never had Gray been so disrespected in his life, adding the fact that he was even scolded by a stranger on the streets because of her! Gray muttered angrily to himself as he walked around town to clear his mind.

* * *

Juvia fumed as she walked around town. Today, she thought, would be a good day. A nice relaxing day with Gray to look around the town and become accustomed to Fiore's culture. Boy, had she never been so wrong. What was up with him anyway? Magic was so sparse all her life, yet Gray had all the secrets to it. Would it hurt to try to teach her? Magic had been locked away all Juvia's life- it was only natural she was curious. Juvia sighed deeply and shoved her hands into her pockets.

But then she felt something in her pockets, and realized this was not her coat. It was Gray's. And inside was the sound of money rattling in his pockets. She pulled it out and gasped at amount in her hand. It was more money than she had seen in a lifetime. Was this what royalties considered…pocket change?

"I'll take five of those fishcakes," Juvia said, with food stuffed in her face. Her cheeks were swollen like a chipmunk with food that she could barely swallow before new food entered. The owner of the food stall looked a little disturbed…how was it possible that a girl could all that food at once?

"Er, that will be 450 jewels," the storeowner said with a tinge of disgust.

"Keep the change," Juvia said, as she handled 500 jewels to the owner. Juvia sighed with contentment. She had now eaten 5 fishcakes, a few steamed buns, a bowl of noodles, and fresh fruit from around town. She couldn't help but enjoy herself right now, despite the fact that she had gotten into a heated argument with Gray earlier. Although after she had calmed down, she did feel a bit bad for not considering Gray's feelings when she talked about magic. She would surely apologize to him later.

But, she couldn't think about it now. She had jewels to spend and a new wardrobe to fill, as she eyed a cute boutique not too far away. She began to walk to the store until a stranger stepped in front of her.

"Ah, I've been waiting for you little lady," the brunette woman said. Her breath reeked of alcohol. She had long, wavy hair and was wearing nothing more than a bikini under her white crop top jacket and white shorts. Golden bangles hung from her wrists and jingled as she made her way toward Juvia.

"And who might you be?" Juvia asked, wary of the woman before her. She adjusted her stance and prepared herself to fight in a moment's notice.

"I am Cana, the fortune teller. My cards told me you would be here today," she sang.

"Well, I had no intention to have my future dealt before me. And quiet honestly, I don't want to have my money scammed," Juvia said politely, as she turned to walk away.

"Ah, but that isn't your money, now, is it? I would even dare to say it belongs to someone of…_royalty_," Cana purred.

That made Juvia turn around and quietly walk up to the woman.

"How did you know?" Juvia whispered with a sharp stare.

"As I've said before, I am a fortune teller. Come, I have a message for you." With that, Cana walked into a small alleyway and turned into a dimly-lit store.

Juvia followed her. She knew her curiosity would kill her one day, but for now she would live at it's mercy. At a glance from outside the store, the place looked like a total scam. The sign outside the window read:

**CANA'S FORTUNE TELLING: ALL THE ANSWERS YOU NEED TO KNOW.**

Juvia rolled her eyes and walked inside. The store inside was small, and filled with oddities left and right. Goblets of all different assortments were placed throughout the room, along with skulls, decorative statues, and aromatic incents. And surprisingly, a lot of wine and beer that seemed to be randomly placed throughout the store. Cana had already been seated at table with cards placed in front of her.

"So, what's the message? Or am I supposed to pick out one of these cards?" Juvia bluntly asked. She had no time to play around in such a questioning place.

"Your future will lay itself out in front of you soon. You don't need to pick out a card. I have something for you," Cana said mysteriously. She pulled out a thin blue box and set it on the table. Juvia reached for the box, wondering what could be inside.

"Not yet," Cana insinuated. She pulled the box away and looked at Juvia with a devilish smirk.

"Really?" Juvia complained. She look out money from her pocket slapped it on the table.

Cana took a look at the money, then continued to stare at Juvia, with an insisting look on her face.

"More money? Do you really expect me to give you more money? You are the one who forced me to come here, and now you want me to give you all my money for a mysterious box that contains who-knows-what?" Juvia accused.

"I was told by my cards that you wanted to learn more about magic. Fortune telling is a sort of magic as well. And my cards tell me you will need this more than any amount of money can buy," Cana replied, with a serious look on her face.

"I can't believe I am doing this," Juvia muttered. She emptied out her pockets and put all that she had on the table.

"It's not like it was your money to begin with anyway," Cana winked. She took the money and stuffed it inside her bra. "Here it is."

Juvia took the box from Cana's hands and opened it up. Juvia eyed the item intently. There laid a silver cross necklace that looked to be a relic of some sort.

"What is this?" Juvia asked. "It simply looks like a regular necklace to me."

"I am not sure. The person who dropped it off for me told me to give it to you, and instructed me to tell you to keep it on you at all times. Said that it'll protect you. She then left without another word," Cana responded, taking out a bottle of beer and chugging it indecently.

"Who was she?" Juvia asked. "And why me?" Her fingers began to trace over the necklace unconsciously.

"Who knows? She was a blondie, but I never saw her again. I tried to figure out who she was but my cards gave me nothing," Cana answered. She began to pour herself another drink.

"That's it? This seems completely unreasonable. This is probably a necklace for some silly superstition. Give me back my money!" Juvia demanded.

"No can do, sister. She told me it was very important that I give this to you. The look of urgency on her face was too much for me to say no. And besides, it took me several attempts to locate when you would be in this part of the town. I also gave it my all, you know? It would be rude of you not to accept this necklace," Cana explained, her words getting more and more slurred with each passing drink.

Juvia internally screamed. It was no use arguing with her now, when she was getting drunker by each passing second. So she put the necklace on and left.

"Member, girlie, and kept it 'round ya at all times! It'll protect you from evil!" Cana hiccupped. 

* * *

"Prince Gray, welcome!" The waiter greeted him with a soft smile. Gray's stomach had been crying out for food for a while now, so he stopped by his favorite bakery to pick up some food. The store was cozy, with a bustling fire pit next to several small tables. Candles were lit on the counters and freshly baked bread still wafted in the air.

Gray looked around to see that the bakery was empty. He pulled down his hood and smiled back.

"Hey Mirajane. It's good to see you again," Gray smiled.

"It's good to have our favorite customer be back," replied Mira. "What'll it be? One caramade frank?

"Actually, make that two. I'll take it to-go." Gray explained.

"Ah, is the extra caramade frank for someone special?" Mira winked. "Perhaps…your girlfriend?"

"She's not my girlfriend!" Gray replied, which seemed to be the ongoing phrase of today.

Mirajane looked a bit surprised.

"Ah, it was just a joke Prince Gray," Mira said apologetically. She handed him two caramade franks in a brown bag.

"Sorry, Mira. That's not what I meant. It's just been a long day, is all."

Mira simply giggled. "Not a problem. But you better get going, it's going to be late and I'm sure you don't want to keep your friend waiting."

Gray nodded as he reached for his pocket. Then it hit him; he left all his money in the coat he had given Juvia. Gray cursed himself. It was a lot of money he had brought out that day, and he wanted to spend it adequately on Juvia by buying her some nice clothes and whatnot. But knowing her, she probably had spent most of it on food or something petty…

Gray grumbled to himself and looked at Mira.

"Look, Mira, my jacket-" Gray started.

But Mira simply smiled and put her hand in front of Gray.

"Don't worry about it, Prince Gray. You are constantly helping us. This is the least I can do. Please, it's on the house," Mira said generously.

Gray embarrassingly said his thanks and left the store. With a sigh, Gray looked at the sky. Dusk was coming, and it was getting late. Even though Lyon did a good job keeping most of the city safe, Gray wasn't stupid. He knew that crooks and thieves came out at night to play. He decided to start looking for Juvia, and hoping she hadn't spent all his money on something stupid.

Eventually he found Juvia stalking down the streets, looking utterly lost. He walked up behind her and swallowed hard.

"Hey," Gray said calmly, as he put his hand on her shoulder.

Juvia jolted and turned to face Gray.

"Gray-sama!" Juvia cried.

They both looked at each other. Silence ensued, and awkwardness grew heavy between them.

"Look- ", "I wanted-" Both of them started to say at the same time.

"Let me go first," Juvia decided. "I wanted to say sorry about earlier. I sometimes forget how sensitive of a subject magic is to you. I should have been more considerate." She felt her cheeks heat up from embarrassment. Juvia, a world class assassin, saying sorry for not being considerate was truly unusual.

Gray's face softened and gave her shoulder a squeeze.

"It's okay. I acted a bit out of place too. It's only natural you'd be curious about it. I'm sorry I can't teach you magic- I don't know how and there has never been any documented case of someone learning magic without being born with it," Gray explained. He put his hand on the back of his neck and scratched his hair.

The two stood awkwardly again in silence.

"Um, we better get going. It's going to be late and I have duties I need to attend to tonight." Gray said, breaking the silence. "Oh, and I got you a camarade frank. I was supposed to take you there to the bakery today." Gray felt a little strange saying this, as if he felt ashamed that he hadn't taken her out like he wanted to.

"Eh? But how did you pay for that?" Juvia questioned.

"So you knew I had money in my pocket! Exactly what did you buy?" Gray cried. He felt like he had just been robbed.

"Not a lot, not a lot! I just bought some food and a visited a fortune teller," Juvia announced in excitement. "The food was really good!"

Gray face palmed himself. She bought exactly what he had hoped she wouldn't have bought.

"Well, at least you didn't spend all of it. Those activities are quite cheap, so it would probably only be a small portion of the money I had," Gray said with relief.

Juvia began to feel her palms sweat.

"W-w-why are you so concerned? I mean, that's pocket change to you right? Since it was in your pocket…?" Juvia stammered.

"No, that was a big portion that I took out. I usually save most of my money for emergencies but I took some out today," Gray explained. "Why are you so nervous? Wait… don't tell me you spent all that money?!"

"The fortune teller made me do it!" Juvia choked.

"You just got scammed! How could you fall for that?" Gray scolded.

"She told me I wouldn't be protected if I didn't give her the money!" Juvia whined.

Gray just sighed and began walking back to the palace. But before Juvia could figure out if he was upset at her again, his voice started up again.

"You don't need to be protected with rubbish like that. I'm right here, so forget about those fake fortune tellers," he grumbled.

Juvia stared at Gray's figure, with his back slowly walking back home. Juvia, of course, didn't need anyone to protect her, but she felt a bit warmer inside knowing that Gray would watch over her as well. She held on to those words a little more than she should have.

"Are you coming home, or not?" Gray asked, walking further away from Juvia.

"Coming!" Juvia chirped, as she quickened her pace to meet back with Gray.

The sun slowly set behind them, as the two talked about how to eat the caramade frank. Despite the crazy day Juvia had, she felt a bit more comfortable living in Fiore. Little did she know, her adventure was just beginning.

* * *

****

Hi friends! Hope you liked this chapter~ Initially, I was just going to write this chapter about them going on a cutesy date and enjoying themselves and Gray spoiling her with clothes. But then, I was like "fuck it!" and decided to make them fight and go their own ways while traveling to town. Hope you all found it more interesting! :3

**Again, pleaseeeee review as it really is the motivation for me to write the next chapter. And again, my chapters will now be longer (in my standards) so bare with me while I slowly upload! Thank you!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

* * *

Gajeel wiped the sweat that relentlessly dripped from his forehead. His face had become covered in soot while he picked away at the mine. It had been a significantly lonelier since Juvia had left, and he had begun to wonder if she was truly safe. He had heard rumors from the other coal miners that the group Erza had taken were now soldiers, and their living conditions were much better than here at the camps. Gajeel gritted his teeth; he wasn't a notorious assassin like Juvia, but he could definitely handle his own and deal some good ass-kicking when necessary. But he shoved that thought aside- he was more concerned with either or not the rumors were true. What if Juvia had _wasn't_ safe? What if she was already _dead?_ Gajeel unconsciously smashed his pickaxe with unnecessary force against the caves as the idea drifted in his mind.

If he didn't hear back from Juvia, what were his next plans? They were supposed to escape together- none of them had expected that they would be apart from each other. Now, Gajeel had to consider his options. Should he stay and rot here in these mines? Not a chance. He'd either have to escape on his own or sneak around the soldier camps to grab her and escape together. That idea amused him- his chances of infiltrating a soldier camp and surviving humored him.

Before Gajeel could contemplate further, a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"You must be Gajeel?" The woman approached Gajeel with purposeful strides. She was the same woman who took Juvia away. Gajeel's throat tightened- was this some sort of death notice on Juvia's part? He prepared for the worse.

"That's me. What have you done to Juvia?" Gajeel's eyes steeled as he straightened himself to properly face the woman.

A flash of guilt flooded through the woman's eyes. But just as quickly as it came, it disappeared. She paused, debating on how to explain the situation to Gajeel. Then, she took a shallow breath and spoke. "I am Erza, the captain of the soldiers that took Juvia away a few weeks ago. We had recently just come back from our mission, but I'm sorry to inform you that-"

Gajeel grabbed Erza's collar and shoved her against the wall. Anger coursed his veins and took control of his movements. He didn't want her to finish the sentence. If she had announced her dead like this, while he was useless and deteriorating in some cave, he wouldn't forgive himself. And he sure as hell wouldn't forgive Erza.

"What have you done?" Gajeel viciously demanded again, with his jaw clenched.

"Watch yourself," Erza warned. Her eyes were sharp and void of emotion. If she had felt any pain from Gajeel's shove or any fear from his words, she didn't show a shred of it on her face. Erza figured that Gajeel wouldn't be satisfied with a simple notice of Juvia's disappearance. "She's not dead…As far as I know. Release me or you shall suffer the consequences."

Gajeel eased his grip on Erza, and eventually let her go. His face was still swelled with rage, and the soot and sweat didn't help make him look any less terrifying.

"Come with me," Erza simply stated. "I've already talked to your guards, so don't worry about leaving your post."

Gajeel just grumbled some obscenity and followed Erza to her carriage. After a ride in complete silence, they reached Erza's base, where her soldiers trained and lodged. Gajeel glanced around the room they had walked into. Of course their living quarters would be better. Erza sat down at a table and Gajeel joined her.

"So, I guess I shall begin…" Erza said with a heavy sigh. She went on to explain the ambush that happened at the Southern Border in Fiore. She explained Juvia's bravery as helped fight back against the enemy, and letting herself and the soldiers escape. She also explained that the last time she saw Juvia, she was fighting the Prince of Fiore.

"And you just let her go?!" Gajeel shouted, enraged that Erza essentially left Juvia for dead.

Erza was quiet for a moment. She knew that Gajeel would blame her for Juvia's disappearance. "It was her wish. She also had another wish- and it was to keep you safe."

Gajeel stopped at those words. "What does that mean? I'm not in some immediate danger."

Erza explained that Gajeel was bait for Juvia to not run away or go against King Jose's order, and that if she did, Gajeel would be killed. "This is why I brought you here. I don't know the status of Juvia right now, but for your safety, I must pronounce her dead. It's for the best for both of you. If the King thinks she's dead, he won't look for her. You won't be killed for her actions either."

Gajeel soaked this information in, saying nothing. Erza continued. "For some reason, the King had a particular interest in Juvia. He seems to know that she's a renowned assassin, and he wanted to utilize her for his army. It's better off this way."

"So now what? I don't even know if my friend is dead or not! Do you expect me to just sit here and nod along?" Gajeel spat. His head ached from the news. Or perhaps it was the exhaustion from work. Most likely, it was a mixture of both.

"You don't have a choice. I am personally looking out for any signs of Juvia. You will be the first to know if she is still alive. In the meantime, I'll be moving you to a different sector."

"What? I'm moving out of the mines?" Gajeel asked.

"I went over your files. You were a blacksmith before, correct?" Erza asked.

"Ya, what gives?" Gajeel didn't know where she was going with this.

"You'll be working as a blacksmith refining weapons with the rest of the sector. It's not a drastic improvement, but it's the best I could do. You'll have more breaks, better living conditions, and you'll even earn a small wage." Erza declared.

Gajeel was rendered speechless. This was the closest thing to freedom that he had in a while. Erza continued to drabble on about the details of the transfer, but all Gajeel could think of was the fact that he never had to mine for coal again.

* * *

"Come on! I hardly call this training," Juvia smugly complained. She leaned against the wall in the training room, smiling wickedly while examining her dull sword. The other soldiers were cowering on the other side of the room, not wanting to duel against Juvia again.

"Let us take a break, Juvia." Droy complained. Jet moaned in agreement as they breathed heavily from practice. Both were soldiers that were in Gray's Guard.

"Don't be so pretentious. You still have a lot to work on," Gray retorted. He had been examining her fighting style as she fought with the four other soldiers in Gray's Royal Guard. "Just because you were deemed a world class assassin doesn't mean you are immune to everything."

"Oh yeah, pretty boy? Why don't you say that after you beat me?" Juvia challenged, feeling excited to take down another person. "Fair and square this time." No one else in the room understood what Juvia had implied, but Gray could tell by the undertones of her voice that she meant without the use of magic.

Gray walked up to the equipment stand and examined the training swords. After looking at a few and weighing his options, he picked up a long sword. "Even then, I could still beat you," Gray responded nonchalantly. He proceeded to the mat where Juvia stood, ready to fight.

Juvia just smiled as she pounced at Gray with her sword. Gray easily blocked her move, and their swords danced back and forth. As graceful as it looked, one could hear the power being emitted as the swords clanged noisily.

"For one," Gray grunted, as he blocked another one of Juvia's fierce swings. "Your left leg is out of balance when you swing." As he said this, Juvia swung her sword and Gray tripped her left heel with his foot. She stumbled a bit and a shocked look spread across her face.

"Broke it when I dived into a river," Juvia snarled, as she made another attempt to clobber Gray. She managed to push him to the ground as he stifled a moan when his body hit the floor.

"Another thing," Gray said calmly, as she was about to stab him with her dull sword. "You aren't as sharp on reacting to your right side as your left." He rolled over and dodged Juvia's sword, then knocked the hilt of his sword to the right side of her head.

Juvia cried out in pain as she raised her head from the floor. Oh, Gray was going to get it this time. She leaped to her feet and let out a fury of attacks on Gray.

"That's more like it," Gray teased. He had to admit, she was good. He could only block her attacks, and barely found any room for himself to unleash his offensive moves. But he noticed his chance to make his move- and if he didn't take it now, he wasn't sure if he could get another chance. He wasn't about to look like a fool in front of his men.

"And lastly," Gray said, ignoring Juvia's savage gurgles as she thrusted her sword at him. "You hold the sword like a dagger or a throwing knife- too loose." Gray whacked her hand with his sword and made her sword go flying through the air.

Juvia looked stunned as she watched her sword go flying and hitting the mat with a mocking _thud_. Before she knew it, she felt the dull tip of Gray's sword pointed at her heart.

"Tch. I am better suited for daggers, anyway," Juvia replied, trying to hide her embarrassment. She shook of her hand as the pain stung through her wrist. Good thing these practice swords couldn't cut through anything.

Gray said nothing, because he knew she was right. Had they dueled with daggers or throwing knives, he would have lost in an instant. Besides, swords weren't an assassin's primary choice of weapons.

"Training adjourned," Gray announced. The soldiers sighed in relief, patting and cheering for Gray as they left. In a matter of moments, only Gray and Juvia were left in the room.

Juvia stood there with an annoyed expression on her face. "Was that really necessary?"

Gray assumed she was talking about how he pointed out her weak points to the crowd.

"Just as necessary as hardly calling this training," Gray responded, with a smirk on his face.

Juvia rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll be nicer to your men next time."

"You don't need to hold back, but no complaints. I am also paying you, you know." Gray approached her as he said this.

"I know, I know. Got it. No more complaints or making fun of anyone," Juvia said in a somewhat apologetic tone. She was absorbed in flexing out her wrist.

Gray grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hit you that hard with my sword. Is your wrist all right?"

Gray's hands swallowed Juvia's pale, petite hand. Despite being an assassin, Juvia's skin was soft and smooth in comparison to Gray's rough, callous hands. Juvia squirmed, as her heart rate fastened at the innocent gesture. Gray didn't seem to notice, with his eyes inspecting every arch and contour of Juvia's hand.

"Um… er, it's okay!" Juvia responded with a flushed face. Despite her words, she didn't remove her hand from his.

"Well, it doesn't seem like anything serious. It'll probably just feel a bit sore," Gray diagnosed, dropping her hand. Juvia internally cried out, almost wishing that she had broken her wrist. But she pushed off the feeling as Gray started to walk out of the room.

"Are you coming?" Gray asked, while Juvia stood there slightly dumbfounded. "Everyone else is going to eat all the lunch if we arrive late. Especially Droy- he looks skinny but he's really been eating a lot recently."

Juvia snapped out of her daze, and hopped over to Gray. Had she really just wished her wrist had been broken, so that he could give her more attention? Juvia mentally slapped herself across the face and reminded herself of more important things. Like lunch. She was starving and she wouldn't let Droy eat all the food, especially because she had kicked his ass so hard at training today.

"Race you there," Juvia said, as she took off and left Gray to scramble after her.

* * *

Warm golden orange rays peaked through the windows as Juvia walked through the hallway. By the tone of the light, Juvia knew that the sun was setting soon, and wanted to visit the library located in Gray's (and technically, now Juvia's) living quarters to pick out a few more books to pass time. She never read much while she was in the Assassin's Guild, and if she did read, it was about techniques to silence her opponent. But who knew that books were filled with such imaginative stories, as well as books filled with history and culture? But before she could even turn the corner she bumped into the person she least wanted to see.

"Ah, Prince Lyon," Juvia said with forceful enthusiasm. She straightened her posture and dipped into a sloppy curtsey. Her eyes met his with an embarrassing glance- the last time she saw him, she pretty much ambushed him out and left him passed out in her room. "It's so great to see you, and my apologies for last time we met."

Lyon flashed a charming smile and waved off their first encounter. "Please, Juvia-chan, no need to apologize. It must have been a surprise to you then, since you were still assimilating to life in the royal court." Lyon inched closer to Juvia, until he was right up at her face.

Juvia tried to back up, but her body was already against the wall. Mavis, she wish she were somewhere else right now. "Erm…" Juvia mumbled, trying to think of countless ways to remove herself from this situation without hurting the Prince's ego.

"Listen, from the moment I saw you…I knew you were different. I mean, I knew you were different because you were an assassin, but you were also different in a different way…" Lyon rambled on like a shy schoolboy, not making coherent sense.

Juvia just stared at him, trying to break down what he said to her.

"What I am trying to say is," Lyon said proudly, with his hand against his chest. "Is that you are very beautiful." Lyon brushed his hands against Juvia's cheek.

With that, Juvia flushed red. "No! I mean, I don't think so." Juvia dealt with a lot of things in her life. She had killed more people than she could remember. She snuck into heavily guarded areas. She even broke plenty of bones, all at the same time before. But she didn't know how to deal with a handsome prince complimenting her. She had never been called "beautiful" before, or even anything close to feminine. She didn't know how to respond. All she knew was that she wanted to get out of here. Now.

Lyon just laughed as Juvia fidgeted and cast her eyes down on the floor. "Please, dine with me tonight," Lyon pleaded with soft eyes. "I want to get to know you more." He looked at her intently, as if she were about to accept.

"Er, I can't tonight. I've got to do assassin stuff. You know, same old same old," Juvia giggled, all too eccentric and fake. She squirmed her way out of Lyon's path as she walked away from the situation. "But it was really nice chatting with you, Prince Lyon! I hope to see you again!" Juvia pasted a smile on her face as she waved at Lyon and walked away hastily.

Lyon stood there with his mouth ajar. Usually girls would be screaming at the opportunity to dine with him. But Juvia _was_ an assassin. And assassins _do _have assassin-y things to do, right? So he perked his ears and smiled at the beautiful blunette that waved down the hall.

"No worries! Tomorrow for breakfast then! I'll pick you up at your room!" Lyon called out, still euphoric from Juvia's presence.

Juvia's dash to the library skidded to a stop. _Breakfast_?No, that's not what she wanted. Every morning until noon was preoccupied due to training with Gray. She turned back to tell him her schedule was really busy, but he had already disappeared. Juvia sighed, feeling a slight headache would approach her any minute now. Without hesitation, she decided to give up on going to the library and walked out to the garden for some fresh air. Dusk had already approached, and little light was left so that Juvia couldn't quite fully make out the flora around her.

Juvia took a deep breath in, and as she exhaled she let the tension in her muscles relax. She walked further into the garden, glad to get away from the trivial drama of the palace life. It was comforting knowing that no one could hear her, because she began to mutter all sorts of obscenities that had come across her path the day she set foot in the palace.

Then, a sudden rustle.

An average person would have shrugged it off as the wind blowing against a bush, or a small hare running through the foliage. But Juvia froze in place. Something didn't feel…right. And she wasn't the only thing that sensed something awry. Her necklace- the one Cana had given her- seemed to be bursting with immense heat. A heavy atmosphere surrounded her, something that Juvia could not explain. Juvia immediately tensed and stood her ground. As of now, she was defenseless. How could she have gotten to careless as to not have weapons at her on all times? Well, when she makes it out of here, she would never make that same mistake again.

_If _she gets out of here.

"Who are you? Come and show yourself," Juvia commanded, without fear or hesitance in her voice. Despite this, she felt uneasy. She could do well with hand-to-hand combat, but she wasn't sure what she was dealing with. She wished that she hadn't walked so deep into the garden- no one would hear her from where she stood.

A snarl that didn't sound quite human nor animal echoed into air. Juvia froze, trying to ease her breath and urging her heart to stop pounding like a madman.

More rustling among the bushes.

Then, faster than lightening, a beast no larger than a wolf came pouncing at Juvia. Except this wasn't quite a wolf- it certainly had the shape of one, but it was sleek black, with it's face twisted like scarred human. It emitted the stench of rotting flesh, and claws sharper and longer than anything she had seen before. With one more bellow from the beast, which pierced through Juvia's ears and sounded like death itself, it sank its sharp teeth into Juvia's arms.

Juvia shrieked in agony as blood gushed from the wound. The pain felt worse than daggers thrown and twisted at her as the teeth punctured her skin. It took a moment for Juvia to regain focus of the magnitude of the situation. Using one hand, she grasped the wolf-like demon by the neck, and the other hand punched the snout of as hard as possible.

Surprisingly, the beast yelped as a dog would, and released his bite from her arm. The monster attempted to attack Juvia again, pinning her down to the ground as it tried to bite her neck. The two struggled for a bit, with Juvia shoving and punching and the wolf pushing and clawing.

Juvia heaved as she kicked the creature's stomach as hard as she could as it fell against the pavement. The opportunity was ripe as the creature struggled to get back on its feet. She grabbed a loose brick by the pavement before the monster could rise and smashed the brick repetitively against the monster's head, until the slow twitching had come to a complete stop. Her arms were soaked with the monster's blood, except it wasn't a crimson red, but rather an inky black. It definitely wasn't her most graceful and poetic kill, but it had done the job. Her necklace stopped heating up.

A thousand thoughts rushed through Juvia's mind as she dragged one arm over the wound on her other arm. What the stars was that? It definitely wasn't human, nor animal. It was nothing that she had ever seen before. What was it doing in the palace? Who sent it here? Was there more from where that came from? She slumped to the ground, frustrated because she couldn't answer any of these questions logically. The only conclusion she could come up with was…magic. She bit her lip so hard that she tasted blood. Or perhaps she was already bleeding. She was sick of recently getting undermined by magic all the time. She was afraid that she would have to become accustomed to these situations. She was afraid she couldn't protect herself.

Her breathing was so unsteady and loud, that she didn't even hear the footsteps approaching her.

"By Maivs…" said the deep voice, in shock.

Juvia spun around and rose immediately, with her balance faltering. Was it another one of those creatures? She wasn't sure if she could go another round unarmed.

Instead stood before her a man cloaked in a dark blue. His face was covered by his hood, and Juvia could only make out his angular face beneath the hood. He stood tall, with his shoulders square. He held out a lantern to reveal Juvia's face- cuts and scrapes appeared on her face and her tangled blue hair was a mess.

"What have you…are you all right?" He gestured at her arm, which was evidently still bleeding. The man approached her with concern. He was wary, and she could tell. His steps were calculated and precise, slow and steady.

Juvia back away from him, unsure of what other surprises might come. "I'm fine, who are you?" Juvia asked bluntly.

I am…just a gardener, wandering around the garden," He kept approaching her at the same pace he held earlier on.

Lies. At least make it sound convincing. This time, she didn't back away from him. Instead, she lurched forward, pulling away his hood and revealing his face through the light of his lantern.

At first, his identity didn't hit her. She first registered that he was human, which she was all too grateful to accept. Then her eyes roamed around to take in the details of his face- he had blue hair similar to hers, a square jaw, and brown eyes. Then she gasped, as she saw a red tattoo trace around his eyes. She had heard of this man in the Guild of Assassins. From Erza.

"You're…Jellal," Juvia whispered, her throat coarse.

Jellal hesitated, and debated whether or not he should deny it. But the girl had already seen too much, so he didn't bother with a ruse.

"How did you… why are you… How are you alive?" Juvia vexed. As if she needed more questions right now.

Jellal only looked at her with a deep sadness in his eyes.

"Perhaps there will be a better time to explain this. But I have to take this corpse back to the lab," Jellal explained, as he pulled a large bag from his pocket and approached the monster.

"But…you in the palace…and what the hell is that thing?!" Juvia shouted. She wanted answers. _Now_.

"Now isn't the right time to explain. I need to examine this cadaver before its blood grows cold." Jellal seemed unfazed as he placed the wolf-thing into his bag. His gloves were soaked in black juices from the beast, but he didn't as so much batter his eyes. "Perhaps we can meet tomorrow night, as I would like to disclose what exactly happened here tonight. In the meantime, you should get that checked out." His eyes wandered over to her arm.

"I'll survive," Juvia responded harshly, with anger rising in her tone. "But you can't expect me to just be perfectly dandy and not have any questions about what just happened!"

"I don't. But you'll see that this cadaver requires immediate attention- and focus. So we will continue where we left off tomorrow. What is your name so I may find you?" He said this all too nonchalantly as he tossed the bag over his shoulder and began walking away.

Juvia ignored his request, and instead, threatened Jellal. "I'll tell Prince Gray that you, a fugitive of Bosco, is roaming around in the palace."

Jellal momentarily stopped his treading on the garden path. "Gray knows." And he continued to walk off.

She couldn't take any more of this. Who else was connected with this? Juvia was about to pinch herself to see if she was dreaming, but the warm blood that oozed out of her arm already told her that this was all too real. She had to find out what happened, if not tonight, then tomorrow.

"It's Juvia!" she cried out to Jellal, who was already walking off in the distance. "My name is Juvia, and you better meet me here again at dusk or I will find you."

Jellal, acknowledging that he had heard her, simply turned his head and shouted, "Take care of that arm, Juvia."

Oh, but that was the last thing Juvia was going to do.

She proceeded to storm to Gray's bedroom. 

* * *

**Hi all! Thanks again for all your amazing reviews!  
I hoped you liked this chapter as much as I did- it was about time that some action finally happened!  
And thanks for all your suggestions that you put forth. I definitely take them into consideration, but a side note that I am usually am several chapters ahead beyond what I upload to FF. I'm sorry that I can't accommodate all your requests, as that would work against the current plot.  
Other notes:  
_-Yes!_ The necklace that Juvia wears is indeed Gray's necklace in the manga, although it isn't his in the story. But I envision it to be a bit slimmer, so she had hind the jewelry if necessary.  
-Who is that blonde girl that gave Juvia that necklace, anyway? Who knows ;)  
And lastly- if you like my story, **_**please**_** review! It really helps motivate me to continue writing as well as put the word out there for others to read this story.  
**

**Until next time!**

**~GreenTeaCake  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, friends! Enjoy~**

* * *

Juvia didn't know how long it took for her to reach Gray's room. She didn't remember if she was running there, or walking there with a purposeful stride. The only thing she remembered was anger.

She was _furious_. It was enough that she was practically a pawn in the royal court, but this took it to the next level. Dark creatures lurking in the garden? That wasn't something Juvia could just turn a blind eye on. It was a threat not only to herself, but others working in the palace. How many people had known about this? Juvia sipped a breath of air and realized this probably wasn't the first time the creature had visited the garden. Before she knew it, she was at the front door of Gray's room.

She didn't even bother to knock.

In fact, she kicked the door open, with as much force as she possibly had left, not caring if the entire palace woke up from her clamoring. Once the door swung open, she looked at Gray straight in the eyes with a twisted face.

Gray flinched at the late night visitor, with his hand immediately seizing his sword attached to his belt. He was sitting at his desk, with shuffled papers and thick books sprawled across his desk. It looked as if he had been furiously scribbling something before the intrusion. As he saw Juvia, his face carried on many emotions at once- from hostile to angry, and from confused to concerned.

"What in Mavis' name are you-" Gray thundered. But he suddenly stopped as his eyes wandered to Juvia's arm, which was now thoroughly covered in a blotch of red blood and black liquid. "Your arm! Are you alright? What happened?"

Gray shoved his chair back and rushed toward Juvia's side. But Juvia stepped back, clutching her tender wound, not caring that her blood was staining his carpet. In fact, she hadn't even gauged the pain on her arm yet. But by amount of blood that had continued to drip from her arm…well let's just say the diagnosis isn't pretty. It seemed as if adrenaline coursed through Juvia's veins, because she hadn't even had time to feel pain until Gray mentioned it.

"I was hoping you could answer that, Prince Gray." She gritted her teeth as his name escaped her mouth. It took all of her strength not to start screaming at him and remain calm.

Gray just looked at her, with a bewildered expression on his face. "What? You think _I_ did this to you?!" Gray practically shouted this, temporarily forgetting to keep his princely composure.

"_You_ didn't do this. But you could have prevented it had you not kept these important secrets to yourself!" Juvia accused, as she took a step closer to Gray.

"What are you talking about?!" Gray put his hands over his disheveled hair and lividly combed through it.

"Something attacked me," Juvia replied in a calm voice, with her eyebrows furrowed. "And it wasn't a human or an animal."

Gray just looked at her, with his face slowly erasing any trace of annoyance and replaced with anxiety. He looked at her face, then shuffled his glance toward her arm. That black ooze wasn't just any type of liquid. It was _blood_.

"You need to…explain to me…" Juvia slurred, with her adrenaline slowing down. Her steps wavered, as she took more steps toward Gray. _Curses_, she thought. If there was any time to faint from blood loss, now was not the time. Her vision started to fade out as the surroundings started to dull out into darkness. She suddenly collapsed, and Gray grabbed her by the shoulders, just before she lurched forward.

"Juvia?" Gray asked. She couldn't see his face anymore, as the daze settled in, but she could tell by the tone of his voice that he was worried, just in time for her to pass out completely.

Gray shook her lightly and called out her name again. And a second time. And a third time, but a bit more frantically.

"Dammit!" Gray cursed under his breath. He wasn't sure what had caused her to pass out. He didn't know if it was because she had lost a lot of blood, or if that bite from the monster was venomous. He quickly ripped the sleeve off of his expensive shirt, and wrapped it around the punctured wounds to stop the bleeding, although he wasn't quite sure if he was helping, because the blood soaked right through despite the pressure he placed on her arm. He immediately sent a guard to retrieve Wendy, one of the healers in the palace.

"Make sure she comes here ASAP. And do not tell anyone what you saw today. That is an order," Gray said, a bit too forcefully. The guard nodded and sent the message along.

Waiting for Wendy felt like waiting for an eternity. In reality, it probably only took her ten minutes to arrive, but Gray couldn't stop thinking about what would happen if she came just a moment too late. He kept his hand pressurized onto Juvia's arm, with his other hand brushing against her hair, whispering her name. Worry was outlined in every crease of his furrowed brow, and his voice started to lightly tremble.

"Prince Gray?" a voice whispered from behind.

Gray spun around immediately. "Juvia…the girl. She's been attacked by something! There's this thick black ooze and I'm not sure what happened," he said frantically, with his eyes still darting from the healer to Juvia.

The healer was only a young girl, who had long blue hair and concerned eyes. Despite her young age, she had been taught by her mother, a renowned healer in Fiore, and could fix almost anything.

"Prince Gray, please calm down. I've never seen you so distraught," the healer said, clutching her supply box. Even though she was an excellent healer, she was still only a girl. The sight of blood that ran down Juvia's arms made her voice shake.

"Wendy," Gray began. "You aren't just any healer right? You know how to heal with magic."

Wendy shyly nodded, but her eyes still darted around to make sure no one else heard her secret. Even if she was safe working in the castle, she tried to conceal the fact that she knew magic. She didn't want to be slaughtered for her gift like her mother.

"What I'm about to tell you…might be difficult to understand. But from now on, after I tell you this, you will become my personal healer. You will know things that aren't supposed to be known, and you mustn't tell anyone. Is that clear?"

Wendy nodded. Although she was frightened of what was to come, she would never betray the Prince. Her loyalty was to him after he and Lyon took her in when her mother passed away and treated her like a little sister.

Wendy approached Juvia and started working on her. She held out her hands and a magic circle began glowing above Juvia's wound. The thick dark substance dissipated and the blood began to trickle down. As Wendy focused on healing Juvia, Gray told her about how a strange beast had attacked her.

Several hours passed as Wendy worked on Juvia. Gray paced his room back and forth, sometimes with his hands pressed to his temples, and other times completely slack. He had so much running through his head- What attacked Juvia? Was she going to be okay? What had Jellal said to Juvia?

Then, finally, a small voice.

"Prince Gray?" Wendy asked, looking exhausted and a bit sleepy.

"Yes?" Gray immediately shot his head up and walked to Juvia.

"She is going to be okay, but she will need some rest. Whatever bit her didn't have any mercy. It sank its teeth in her pretty sharply. I would put off the sword-play for a few days. You can train her on other things, such as running and endurance."

Gray let out an exasperated sigh as he slumped onto his bed where Juvia laid.

"But… this black ooze on her arm. Thankfully, it doesn't seem to be from her, but rather from the beast she was fighting. I've never encountered anything like this before. But her wound is fine. There doesn't seem to be some magical ailment associated with the bite."

Gray nodded and thanked Wendy for her help. She said her goodbyes and gave Gray extra bandages to change Juvia's current ones when needed. He rubbed his eyes, with his temples throbbing. It was already deep into the night, and he was desperately tired from the sudden unpleasant surprise. He looked at Juvia for the hundredth time before releasing a large sigh, finally allowing himself to relax. She was quivering and whimpering a bit, looking drained from the magic spells that Wendy used on her. Gray sat next to her in bed and gently rubbed circles on back until she calmed down with a peaceful look on her face.

* * *

Juvia groaned as she shuffled in the bed, with her eye still shut, trying to stop the sunlight from invading. She felt like she had been hit by a carriage. As she came to her senses, she felt two arms tighten around her waist. _Wait…arms?_

Juvia's eyes jolted open, with the sun momentarily blinding her. She was staring at someone's bare chest.

And it wasn't just _anyone's_ bare chest. As she slowly rolled her eyes upward, she realized she was staring at Gray's chest.

She gulped.

Her heart beating unnecessarily fast, and her face lit up like a tomato. What was she doing here?! What was _he_ doing here? Did she do something she immediately would have regretted? But she paused for a moment and thought back to what happened last night. The beast. Jellal. And her collapsing in Gray's room. She slowly looked down at her arm. It was neatly bandaged and cleaned. Despite the pain that still shot up from her arm, it was much more bearable that yesterday, and it seemed to be on the path to healing itself. But what was she doing here? _In Gray's arms?!_ As these thoughts ran through her head, Gray must have sensed her panic, because he murmured in his sleep and pulled in Juvia by the waist and curled her up against his chest.

"Eep," Juvia squeal, in equal parts of terror and fluster. She had never been so close to Gray before. Her eyes traced every feature of his face, from the onxy wisps of hair that fell over his eyes, to his square jaw and soft lips. She paused for a moment and noticed a scar that was right above his left eyebrow. Perhaps it was from a battle. He was, after all, not only a Prince but the Captain of the Guard. Her eyes continued to roam down to his chiseled body, and again, she noticed another scar above his hip. It was a deep cut, and looked like the form of an "x". The scar tissue gleamed in the sunlight.

Juvia couldn't take it anymore. Having her eyes explore his body wasn't something that should be her priority right now. She felt like she was going to melt in his arms from embarrassment.

"Um…Gray-sama?" Juvia whispered quietly, hoping this would be enough to stir him awake.

No response. Gray's heavy breathing was the only thing she could hear.

"Er, Prince Gray? …Your Highness?" Juvia said a little louder. This time, she poked his cheek with her pale finger.

Gray grumbled and barely opened his eyes. He was in a groggy state and it seemed as if he was still half-dreaming.

"…Mmm?" he mumbled, as he dug his face into Juvia's blue hair, taking in a deep breath. His eyes were half opened, but they looked like they would close again any moment now. Despite the predicament they were in, Juvia found Gray's morning side to be adorable.

"Juvia would like to get up to check her wound," she said shyly.

Once those words escaped Juvia's mouth, Gray's eyes shot open. Juvia stared back at him. His arms were around her. And why was he shirtless?! He momentarily looked at Juvia, who was blushing and had a small pout on her lips, and then he looked down at his arms. Immediately, he released her from his hold and backed his hands against his chest. He started blushing furiously.

"J-juvia! You're awake! Look, I didn't mean to…I mean I must have fallen asleep next to you…Because your wound was…And then the healer…And my arms…" Gray stopped himself before he completely went off the deep end. Juvia just stared at him with a set of confused and curious blue eyes.

Gray took a deep breath, and tried to recollect himself. "I apologize for what just happened, Juvia. You were recovering from treatment from your wound and I must have fallen asleep next to you, because I was watching you to make sure you were healing properly."

Juvia giggled at how quickly Gray changed from a babbling mess to a prince with good mannerisms.

"What's so funny?" Gray frowned.

"Juvia just thinks that Gray-sama doesn't have to act so polite and princely all the time. She forgives you for what happened today, as long as you tell me what is going on."

Gray just sighed, and gave her a simple nod as she got out of bed to check on her wounds. The bed felt infinitely colder as soon as she left.

Well, Gray thought to himself, there's no use in staying in this bed now. He got up and grabbed his tunic that he threw on the floor. He silently thanked Mavis that he hadn't mindlessly stripped off his pants last night like he did with his shirt.

"Let me check on that wound tonight. Wendy said that I should change it later in the evening today," Gray explained.

Juvia just nodded as she began inspecting her wound. She touched in gingerly and flinched when her fingers ran over the bite marks.

"We won't practice swordplay today," Gray said. His eyes watched her as she began experimenting with the extent of motion she had with her wounded arm. "Instead, we'll do a morning run."

"What? No! You have to tell me more about that _thing_ that attacked me! And whatever else you are hiding from me!" Juvia exclaimed.

"We will, but we can't neglect training. Besides, it would be better if we went over these together with Jellal. There's things that I don't even know."

"And when will that be?" Juvia asked with frustration. "I told him to meet me at the garden tomorrow at dusk. Does that mean we must wait until then?"

"Yes. Jellal's a bit of a secretive man, and I often find it hard to locate him. And dusk will be a good time as well, when it will be darker and not many will be able to see us," Gray responded. "Now, go change and I'll meet you outside your room in 10 minutes. We are running today."

* * *

Juvia struggled to find something to change into. The last time she tried to go shopping she spent all her money on a stupid necklace that a gypsy sold her. Now the only clothes she had left were a few black tunics with mud stains, a green cloak, and three pairs of pants. Not much variety. She sighed and grabbed her outfit. Once she freshened up in the bathroom, she walked out only to find Gray already leaning on her door frame. She gaffed. It hadn't even been ten minutes and Gray already looked ready to take on the day. Juvia, on the other hand, had dark circles under her eyes and her messy hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

"I can't believe we are going running when you should be telling me what's going on," Juvia complained.

Gray crossed his arms and shrugged. "Let's just focus on our training today. If it makes you less neurotic we can talk about it briefly over lunch."

The two continued to squabble as they walked down the hall to prepare for their training. They didn't notice Lyon at the end of the hall until he walked right in front of them, interrupting their drabble.

"Juvia?" Lyon asked carefully.

Juvia stepped back, a bit shocked to have Lyon here of all places. Then it hit her. Right before she was attacked, she bumped into Lyon. And he said he was going to pick her up for breakfast. Juvia unconsciously groaned and Gray raised an eyebrow to her.

Lyon, on the other hand, had an annoyed look on his face. He looked like it was ready to dine with Juvia and was dressed in a formal blue frock coat with golden lining trimmings that hung from his epaulettes. But that didn't seem like it was going to happen, because Gray was hovering just beside her.

"What are you doing with Juvia this early in the morning?" Lyon asked, horrified. A knot tied in his stomach. "I saw you walking out of Juvia's room."

"Wait…Did you two spend the night together?!" Lyon accused, with suspicious written all over his face. Lyon felt his heart crumble a bit, unsure of what to make of the situation.

Gray's jaw dropped open, shocked from such a claim. Yes, they technically _did_ spend the night together…but not in the way Lyon had thought. The last thing Lyon would believe would be a story about Juvia being attacked by some monster and suddenly, as if almost too conveniently, passing out in Gray's bed. "W-what? What kind of question is that?! That wouldn't even cross my mind! It's _Juvia, _she's my assassin, a cold blooded killer! I would never, with her-" Gray, all too flustered caught himself. Guilt immediately flooded his mind. Were those words too harsh? He knew that one of his bad habits was getting too defensive, and always letting words fall out of his mouth to dispel any doubts-even if it meant hurtful words.

He glanced at Juvia. Only for a split second did he realize a fleeting look of hurt that flashed before Juvia's face. The expression disappeared in a blink, but Juvia's demeanor shifted to a detached presence. But even Lyon could see that she had tensed up from Gray's words.

Gray also picked up on this, and silently cursed to himself. He felt uneasy, and extremely uncomfortable. Was it always this hot in the morning? He pulled his collar to let some air in, and looked at Juvia. She did not meet his eyes, but instead stared forward, past Lyon.

"…Um, anyway, I just came to pick up Juvia for her morning routine. We are training, remember?" Gray spoke with caution, still keeping his gaze on Juvia.

"I certainly don't," Lyon replied, also glancing at Juvia. "Juvia, why don't we get something to eat?" He treaded carefully, noting that Gray's words must have hurt her. After all, she was still a lady. "I know a great restaurant by the aquarium…"

"Sorry, Lyon. I'm not too hungry right now. And besides, I think I have to let off some steam." Juvia said tartly. She was glaring at nothing in particular, but Gray swallowed loudly as she walked away. He took after her.

Lyon stood there dumbfounded. All he wanted was to have some coffee and a nice breakfast with Juvia. He even ordered some fresh flowers to be placed at their table. And now he was left with confusion and dismay. Lyon sighed at his bad luck and figured he would have a better shot next time as he walked back to his office, with grimace written on his face.

* * *

Fresh air always did Juvia good. She hadn't run like this in over a year, since she was enslaved in Bosco. The air in the coal mines was polluted and muddled with filth, so she graciously sipped the cleaner, brisk air here. Their path winded through the woods, which held strong oak trees that were in the midst of changing from a vibrant green to a warm red, indicating summer would soon be over and autumn was arriving. Past the trees, tall mountains dipped into the horizon with shades of blue and black. The raw beauty of the nature that surrounded Juvia calmed her down from the indecent words Gray had said earlier.

In fact, none of them said a word to each other since they bumped into Lyon. Silence was sometimes the best remedy.

Juvia thought back to his words. It was true, Juvia wasn't an ordinary girl. She didn't wear delicate dresses and ornate golden hairpins. She wasn't ladylike at all, and couldn't separate manners from crudeness. She didn't have makeup that defined her features or have handsome men waiting to court her. Juvia was an assassin. She donned black clothes to hide in the shadows, rough housed anyone who dared threaten her, had blood that would splatter on her face, and men wanting to kill her. She was, indeed like Gray said, a _cold blooded killer_. Was that how everyone saw her as? Some maniac that kills at all costs? If that's how she was viewed, how was she any different than that monster that attacked her last night? She didn't dare think more deeply about it, afraid to uncover secrets that she wished she hadn't known about herself.

But that didn't change the fact that she was still a _girl_, and sometimes she was prone words about how undesirable or frightening she was. And it always stung a little more when a _Prince_, who was trained to have proper manners and good diplomacy, would say that about her. She sighed, admitting defeat. Maybe Gray was right. It wasn't like she could compare to Princess Ur, who was dignified and beautiful, or any other woman in the royal court for that matter.

The thoughts stayed at the back of Juvia's mind for the rest of the run, which annoyed her because she shouldn't be all the affected by it. But for some strange reason, she was. She shifted her attention to other things, like meeting with Jellal, wondering how Gajeel was doing, and what to say to Lyon the next time she awkwardly runs into him. She tried to keep her focus past Gray, who was running ahead of her, and at the beautiful mountains in front of her.

Gray slowed to a stop as they reached back to the front of the palace. They ran for what seemed like miles, and Juvia's legs felt like they had just taken a beating of a lifetime. But as she took in deep breathes, she felt the strength return to her, knowing that it had been a productive work out. Gray, who was in front of her, slicked his hair back with his hand as sweat trickled down his forehead. His white shirt had been nearly soaked with sweat as it clung onto his body.

"How was that?" Gray asked as he placed his hands behind his head.

"Good," Juvia responded. Although she wanted to get past what he said earlier, she still replied curtly.

Recollecting her breath, Juvia wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. She paused as she watched two women from the court rush over to Gray's side.

"Prince Gray!" The blonde one squealed. She donned a poufy fuchsia dress that was adorned with silver embroidery hemming, and her waist was tightened so thinly that it made Juvia hurt to breath. "What a coincidence to meet you here!" She placed her hand, which was cloaked in a dainty laced glove, on Gray's chest.

Juvia rolled her eyes. There was no doubt that the women noticed their morning run and waited for Gray to come back to the palace gate. No one simply loitered at the front gate. If they wanted to say hello, they should at least be more honest about it. It was obvious enough that these two were vying for Gray's attention in hopes to be a Princess to a handsome Prince. The two women only glanced at Juvia for a moment. By the sweat dripping down her body, her hair in a mess from the wind, and dirtied clothes, they assessed that she wasn't a worthy competitor, and completely ignored her presence. Juvia stifled a laugh. How nice would it be for her to be a regular girl and worry about something so petty as competitors for the prince's hand?

"Yes, and it's been such a long time since we've seen you," the redhead cooed. Her eyes ravished his bare body, which could be seen through his soaked white shirt. "Are you free to chat with us this afternoon? Or maybe even later at night…" Her voiced dropped into a more seductive tone, and she moved closer to press against his body.

Juvia gagged. But Gray seemed unaffected by their words or touch. He displayed his princely attitude and talked to them naturally.

"Ah, it really has been a while," Gray said charmingly. He stepped back, away from their physical contact, to bow and give them a kiss to their hand. "I hope you are enjoying your stay at the palace."

"Oh, we are. But it gets sooo lonely," the blonde one responded in a distinctive whine. She waited, hoping for Gray to offer his company.

But Gray didn't give in. He simply directed them to other activities. "Ah, well we can't have that now, can we? There should be a small festival today near the harbor. I'm sure that will suit your tastes," Gray said politely with a warm smile.

Juvia smirked. The port was across the town, far, far away from the castle. It was satisfying watching the scene unfold. The women, who were desperate for Gray's attention, seemed to be brushed aside in the most cordial, yet painful way possible.

"Well, there's still the Ball!" said the redhead, with desperation. Her eyes were still glued to Gray's chest.

"Yes, Fiore's Annual Royal Ball is next week! Do you have a personal guest yet?" The blonde folded her hands together in front of her, as if she were pleading him to make her The Chosen One.

"No, not yet…" Gray trailed off. He had completely forgotten about the ball, and now that he was of age to marry, the harassment from girls yearning to be his personal guest increased ten-fold. Lyon usually welcomed this, but Gray had always copped out by taking Wendy to the ball as his little adoptive sister. No one would question his marital status and the media would always find it a generous gesture from Gray to watch over her. But this year, Wendy said she was asked to the Ball by a baker's boy. His eyes unconsciously settled onto Juvia. She was looking at the leaves on a nearby tree, horribly failing to hide the amount of annoyance that riddled her face.

The girls noticed his gaze that set on to Juvia. Their jaws dropped with a look of pure disgust.

"Prince Gray, please don't tell me you that you were thinking about taking … _her_" -she emphasized the word with revolt- "to the Royal Ball!" one of them said, with hysteria clinging onto every word.

Juvia snapped her head back toward the conversation. "You'll be glad to hear that he isn't. In fact, this is the first time I've even heard of this Royal Ball. And let me tell you something, you aren't exactly princess material either, lady." She glared at the two, with her fists clenched until her knuckles turned white. It was already enough that the Prince of Fiore told her she wasn't the cream of the crop, but now she had to hear it from these two pompous, pretentious women? She just couldn't catch a break today.

"Listen, you filthy _peasant_. I may not be a princess, but I'll always be of higher rank than you are. You are nothing but a piece of rubbish and it's no wonder you haven't heard of the Royal Ball. You're probably too busy scrapping up some coins to get some real clothes! You should be exalted that you are even in Prince Gray's presence!" The redhead glared, but kept her voice sinisterly cool as she dropped the snide remarks.

"Oh, trust me. I'm _exhilarated_ to be here right now," Juvia spat back.

Gray, in the meantime, was looking back and forth between the two parties. Sure, he was trained to have good diplomacy and resolve issues concerning problems between nations. But he was never trained to break up… a cat fight.

Gray cleared is throat, trying to ease the tension between everyone. "Ah… well, look at the time! It looks like lunch is approaching and we better go before Soldier Droy eats everything. Haha!" Gray laughed nervously. No one even smiled at his joke. Instead, Juvia walked right past them and headed inside the castle.

"Ladies," Gray said, as he swept a deep bow and said his goodbye.

The two women stood there baffled at Juvia. They had surely never seen her around the royal court before, and could only assume that she was some country bumpkin who didn't know her place or how to hold her tongue.

Gray jogged to Juvia, hoping that she wasn't about to break down a door or throw a vase at someone.

"Wait, Juvia!" Gray said as he caught up to her.

"Charming friends you have there."

"I wouldn't exactly call them my friends…More like acquaintances," he explained, hoping she wouldn't lump him with them.

"It must be nice, having women constantly throw themselves at you," Juvia started.

"I would much rather prefer no encounters of that sort," Gray said with a deadpan face.

"They are despicable. What gives them the right to put others down because they have a bit more money and are of a higher class?" Irritation surged in Juvia's voice.

"I wouldn't let their words bother you too much. They don't know what they are talking about," Gray said, trying to comfort her.

"Well, I've been called worse. Like _cold blooded killer_," she replied, referencing his words earlier in the day.

"Are you still mad about that? I want to apologize, I didn't really know what I was saying and I didn't mean-"

Juvia interrupted with a fit of rage. "Is that how you see me as? Is that how _everyone_ sees me as? Some ruthless murderer willing to kill on command? Like I have no remorse when I put someone down? I'm still human! I still have emotions!" Juvia surprised herself at the words that she had spoken. She never opens up like this, and worst of all, she never cries. But she felt a hot tear streaming down her face. She furiously wiped it off and blinked away any other tears that threatened to fall.

Gray, shocked at the sudden tear, reached out for her hands, and grasped it firmly in his.

"Juvia, don't cry. It's my fault, I didn't mean to hurt you and I didn't mean what I said at all. You aren't, and _never will be_ some cold blooded killer. Yes, you've killed people before, but that doesn't define you. Because I've seen you as you are, and you are warm and adventurous and determined. So please don't cry." Gray felt his stomach turn at the idea that he made her cry. If he had felt guilty before, it was nothing in comparison to now. He just wanted to hold her and apologize over and over again, as if that could somehow help take back the words he said earlier this morning. But he just stood there, holding onto her hands like a child whose hands were so cold and fragile.

"I'm…just worried. If this is how people see me, how does that make me any different than what attacked me yesterday? I didn't want to mention it before…but I saw a bit of myself in that monster. The merciless, mechanical killing." Her voice was quaking, as if she were recalling vivid details from the attack. She looked away from Gray, too ashamed at her confession that made her all the less human.

When Gray first met Juvia, he would laugh at the mention of him needing to protect her. It had only been a few weeks since he's met her, but all he could think about right now was never letting her cry again. It pained him to think about what she had to go through, and what he was essentially making her continue to go through by hiring her as his assassin. If anything, it was Gray who felt like a monster. He was encouraging her to kill by training her and helping him defeat King Jose. But he didn't say this, too afraid of the consequences. Gray couldn't hold still anymore, as these thoughts rattled his brain. For the second time today, he wrapped his arms around her, but with full intention this time, and grasped her close against his body.

"You are much more than that, Juvia. Much more... That monster didn't have a conscience. You do. A good one. And I've seen it before, like the day you saved your Captain Erza and her men from my attacks. I've seen it day by day after that ," Gray whispered in a soft and gentle voice.

Juvia stood there in his embrace, with her arms slack. At any other moment, her heart would have already left for the skies, but she couldn't perceive anything right now. His words surrounded her as she felt his hot breath pressed against her hair. Was she supposed to feel more human because of his words?

Because she didn't.

* * *

**HOLY SMOKES**! Sorry that chapter took a while to come out- I had some emergencies back at home I needed to take care of. I also was working a lot with the plot for the future of this story. HUEHUEH am I excited to share this with you all!

I'll be introducing more characters (Like Natsu and Lucy) when the time comes, but I'm wondering- would you all like to see some romance between NaLu? Obviously, this is a Gruvia fanfic so any NaLu moments will be light and not too distracting, but I wanted your opinion. Because if that's the case, there will probably be a few chapters that are more heavily written about them. Still undecided if I want to put Levy into the story…

So now I've thrown in a royal ball in the mix, woohoo! Wendy is usually Gray's date, but now she has a new date! And yes, it's Romeo for all those who are wondering. But you'll probably never hear from him in this story.

I've also noticed that as the story progresses, I'm making Juvia to be very OOC. But I kind of like her this way, as it brings the mood to where I need it to be in this story. I hope you all enjoyed, and thanks for all your reviews! You all rock :')


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